It is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – countless people observe their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. The narrative proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in flurries clinging to verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
