This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a dog post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and human reaction, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split could have been more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – even if it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
