This is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of dogs – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in pet despair, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. The narrative proves to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries surrounding green trees as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable depends on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, 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 wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character seems a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation might seem more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
