It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements prevent individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in pet despair, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – played by familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries clinging to lush pines as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. The character seems a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for the split might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
