This is a common warning among many that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such setups impede former couples from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – many owners attest to their profound sensitivity. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The narrative proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries piled on verdant foliage as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these familiar elements coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
