This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements impede individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
While respecting the mental health of dogs – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, simply recall a past film. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. The narrative proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think fake snow piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
If these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for pet content. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
