This is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a dog following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
Not to downplay the mental health of our pets – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in dog sorrow, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
