It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a pet following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations impede former couples from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
While respecting the inner life of animals – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation holds water seems a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth are modest. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a warm climate doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.