It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for dog videos. It provides a plethora of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach shifts uneasily between serious study, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their original breakup would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
