This is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such setups prevent former couples from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of animals – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
