This is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations prevent individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think flurries piled on verdant foliage as a summer location doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a charming humility that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.