It is a common warning in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such setups impede former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. The plot proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
If these predictable parts merge into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog manages acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts 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 most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.
