This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a dog post-separation is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the mental health of our pets – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in pet despair, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with life in two homes. If this concept a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts come together into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation could have been more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
