It is a widely held belief in certain circles that jointly caring for a pet following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think fake snow clinging to verdant foliage as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for dog videos. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
