It is a widely held belief in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations prevent individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the mental health of our pets – countless people attest to their profound sensitivity. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict holds water remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think flurries clinging to lush pines as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their separation might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
