This is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements impede former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively seems rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think flurries piled on green trees as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch depends on the actors' work and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between serious study, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, since the dog is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
