It is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a dog post-separation is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations prevent former couples from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup holds water remains rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is easily the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
