It is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups hinder ex-partners from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in pet despair, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict holds water is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
If these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for dog videos. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages acting depressed – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for the split might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
