It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, not quite landing any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a charming humility that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog manages acting depressed – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation could have been more nuanced with less exposition and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
