It is a common warning among many that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – countless people observe their profound sensitivity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow surrounding green trees as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a plethora of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since Merv is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
