It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a pet following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict holds water seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the execution and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation might seem more nuanced with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
