It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as a summer location doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements coalesce into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is easily the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
