This is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations impede former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in canine melancholy, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation holds water is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. 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 what the dog does and human reaction, the movie does offer walking sequences, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting is not terrible – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
