This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than a light film. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. The narrative proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles 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 clearly manufactured – think flurries clinging to lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. The film's approach vacillates between serious study, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split might seem more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
