It is a common warning for numerous people that co-parenting a dog post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such setups prevent former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. As it turns out, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of dogs – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in pet despair, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split would feel more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
