This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements impede individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with split households. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict holds water seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think fake snow surrounding green trees as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for the split might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video starting December 10.
