It is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adjusting to life in two homes. If this concept an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water remains debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The narrative proves to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
