It is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations impede ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. If this concept an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects clinging to lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a consistent feel. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
