It is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups impede former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of our pets – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively seems a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages 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 couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video starting December 10.
