This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to split households. If this concept an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
