It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups impede ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: 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, embark on 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. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in flurries clinging to lush pines as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
