It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the depth are modest. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. The character can feel a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
