It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups prevent individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. For a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation holds water remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think fake snow clinging to green trees as a warm climate doubles as the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
If these familiar elements coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split would feel more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video this December.
