This is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements prevent ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively seems debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. The plot is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think fake snow piled on lush pines as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between serious study, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video this December.
