It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – played by a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a warm climate substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
