It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a pet following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations impede ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation holds water seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries surrounding lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – individuals who seek out for dog videos. The film delivers a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split might seem more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
