This is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups impede former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The plot unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow piled on lush pines as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting has potential – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
