This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Not to downplay the inner life of dogs – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, consider a past film. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict holds water is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects clinging to lush pines as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness does not extend for the romantic plot. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, predictable love story, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, since the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
