It is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
