This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a pet following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent ex-partners from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively remains a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. The plot proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as North Carolina substitutes for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between serious study, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split would feel more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
