This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups hinder individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie does offer walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.
