It is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements impede former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think flurries piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the execution and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.