It is a common warning among many that co-parenting a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups impede individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of animals – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a masterclass in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as a summer location stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe required by the unusual premise. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is by far the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation might seem more adult and realistic with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
