This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations impede former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in pet despair, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow piled on green trees as a summer location doubles as the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
