This is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – countless people attest to their profound sensitivity. For a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between serious study, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
