It is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations impede ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to become depressed.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of animals – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think flurries clinging to lush pines as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is by far the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
