It is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations impede individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of animals – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively seems debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. The plot unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think flurries surrounding lush pines as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
