It is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a dog following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups hinder individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the mental health of animals – many owners speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog manages acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
