It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations hinder ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – countless people attest to their profound sensitivity. For a masterclass in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. If this concept a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by flurries piled on lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements coalesce into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since Merv is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation could have been more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video starting December 10.
