This is a widely held belief in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. The narrative unfolds as uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries surrounding green trees as North Carolina substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
