This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations impede individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. Seemingly, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation holds water remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think fake snow surrounding lush pines as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
