It is a common warning among many that co-parenting a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries clinging to lush pines as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
