This is a widely held belief in certain circles that jointly caring for a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder ex-partners from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation works effectively is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring 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 obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. The film's approach shifts uneasily between serious study, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm 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. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split would feel more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
