It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the mental health of our pets – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a masterclass in dog sorrow, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup holds water remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think flurries surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since Merv is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
