This is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations hinder ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – pet parents attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow piled on lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, particularly when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform this December.
