It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups prevent individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. For a masterclass in pet despair, consider a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: 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, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
If these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
