This is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively is a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth is limited. The plot is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to give weight to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.