It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall another performance. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think flurries piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between serious study, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is by far the best part of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split would feel more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
