It is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements prevent former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of animals – many owners observe their profound sensitivity. To witness a prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries piled on lush pines as a summer location stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split could have been more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. 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.
