It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a masterclass in canine melancholy, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think flurries surrounding green trees as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
If these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation might seem more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
