This is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a pet following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of animals – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a summer location substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style shifts uneasily between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. His performance contains a charming humility that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a little too aloof, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
