This is a common warning for numerous people that jointly caring for a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements impede former couples from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – many owners observe their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup holds water remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow surrounding lush pines as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts come together into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. The character seems a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, since the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
