It is a common warning in certain circles that co-parenting a dog following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations prevent ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
While respecting the mental health of animals – many owners observe their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe 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. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict holds water seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than a light film. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think flurries surrounding lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements coalesce into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
