It 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 situations prevent former couples from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. Apparently, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the mental health of our pets – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation works effectively seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. The character comes across as a little too aloof, especially when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Making a film with this canine conflict has potential – though it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.
