This is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of animals – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in pet despair, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by fake snow piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
If these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Making a film with this canine conflict has potential – but I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform this December.
