This is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations prevent individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup holds water is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
If these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself manages acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
