It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Making a film on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
