This is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups prevent former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the inner life of dogs – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in pet despair, simply recall another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries piled on verdant foliage as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for the split could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
