It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations hinder former couples from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with life in two homes. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on such a setup holds water is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think flurries clinging to lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since the dog is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
