It is a common warning among many that sharing custody a pet following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements prevent ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in pet despair, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively is rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries surrounding lush pines as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
