This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations prevent former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the mental health of our pets – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with life in two homes. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements coalesce into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
