It is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – many owners observe their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in pet despair, simply recall a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – played by a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts merge into an entertaining watch depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
