It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a pet following a split is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements impede individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – many owners speak of their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in canine melancholy, consider a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think fake snow surrounding green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, especially when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages looking despondent – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
