This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a dog following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations impede former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. The plot proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch depends on the execution and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. The character can feel a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for the split could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
