It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such setups hinder ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water seems debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. The plot unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for the split could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform this December.
