It is a common warning among many that co-parenting a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners observe their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable seems rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – played by familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think flurries surrounding green trees as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness does not extend for the romantic plot. Its style shifts uneasily between serious study, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Making a film with this canine conflict has potential – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform this December.
