This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a pet following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such setups impede individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. Seemingly, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of dogs – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. It functions as a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think flurries piled on green trees as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character seems a little too aloof, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
