This is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations prevent individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, simply recall a past film. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. Its storyline is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow piled on green trees as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
If these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who seek out for dog videos. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog manages acting depressed – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
