This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a pet following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups prevent individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, consider another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow clinging to verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
How these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable depends on the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split would feel more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
