This is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations prevent ex-partners from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – many owners speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in pet despair, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think flurries surrounding lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog manages looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video starting December 10.
