This is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such setups hinder former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
