It is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such arrangements impede ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a masterclass in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with split households. If this concept a full holiday film around this situation works effectively seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think fake snow clinging to green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since Merv is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video this December.
