It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such setups hinder individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in pet despair, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on such a setup holds water remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects clinging to lush pines as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
