It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations prevent ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom around this situation holds water seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in flurries piled on lush pines as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
How these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, since the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for the split could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
