This is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such setups impede former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in pet despair, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable is rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. The plot proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think flurries clinging to lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
This level of success cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer manages looking despondent – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
