This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations impede ex-partners from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to become depressed.
While respecting the mental health of our pets – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in pet despair, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively remains a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for dog videos. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is by far the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split could have been more adult and realistic with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
