It is a common warning for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups impede individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of animals – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup holds water remains a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think fake snow piled on green trees as a summer location stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, pet moping, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
