This is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a pet following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups prevent former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively is rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a summer location substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Human Element
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to give weight to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split might seem more nuanced with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video this December.
