This is a common warning for numerous people that jointly caring for a pet following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements impede ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – many owners observe their profound sensitivity. For a masterclass in dog sorrow, simply recall recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on such a setup is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than a light film. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries surrounding green trees as North Carolina substitutes for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for the split might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Making a film on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
