This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to become depressed.
While respecting the inner life of dogs – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, consider 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 find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation works effectively seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity are modest. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – as seen in flurries clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience depends on the execution and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation might seem more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
