It is a common warning in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations hinder individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for dog videos. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie does offer walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog manages acting depressed – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
