It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements impede individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable is a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
