It is a widely held belief in certain circles that co-parenting a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such setups impede individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a masterclass in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with split households. If this concept a full holiday film around this situation works effectively is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries clinging to green trees as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the title character is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
