It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements hinder former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of animals – many owners observe their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The plot proves to be straightforward: 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, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow clinging to lush pines as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
How these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since Merv is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
