It is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations impede former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict holds water seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by flurries clinging to lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages looking despondent – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, since the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform this December.
