It is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a dog following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations prevent former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – many owners speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a prime example in pet despair, consider another performance. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform this December.
