It is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such setups hinder individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively remains debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow clinging to green trees as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between serious study, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.
