It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow surrounding lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
