It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements hinder individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. To witness a masterclass in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth are modest. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow piled on green trees as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind 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 what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between serious study, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is easily the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation could have been more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
