It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements prevent former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the inner life of our pets – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. We have here a holiday release from a corporate studio – the depth is limited. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – played by familiar faces – serve 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 – exemplified by fake snow surrounding green trees as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to give weight to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, since the dog is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
