This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a dog post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in pet despair, consider a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think flurries clinging to verdant foliage as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – 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 reason for their separation could have been more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
