It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations prevent individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need masterclass in pet despair, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – played by familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts merge into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, since the title character is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation would feel more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise has potential – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
