This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such setups hinder former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – played by familiar faces – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split would feel more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
