This is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups hinder individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think flurries piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate substitutes for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
How these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
