It is a common warning for numerous people that co-parenting a pet following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to feel down.
Not to downplay the inner life of dogs – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. This is a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The plot is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – played by familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the romantic plot. The film's approach shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
