It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations impede former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. Seemingly, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than a light film. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think flurries piled on lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience depends on the execution and an acceptance of easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
