This is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations hinder individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow clinging to green trees as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
