It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of our pets – countless people observe their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries piled on lush pines as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
