It is a common warning among many that jointly caring for a canine companion following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations impede individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Not to downplay the inner life of our pets – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in pet despair, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who scroll endlessly for dog videos. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is easily the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
