It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a dog following a split is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups hinder ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split might seem more nuanced with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
