This is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups prevent individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for all parties. Seemingly, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, 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 struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight 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 feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for the split could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
