This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
Not to downplay the mental health of our pets – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in pet despair, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively is rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by 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. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think flurries piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch hinges on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – individuals who seek out for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, since the title character is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
