This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups hinder former couples from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adjusting to life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries piled on green trees as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for the split would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
