This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder former couples from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in pet despair, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries clinging to green trees as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting is not terrible – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
