This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow clinging to green trees as a summer location stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for dog videos. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is by far the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
