This is a common warning among many that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent former couples from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – countless people observe their profound sensitivity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall a past film. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth are modest. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think fake snow piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the actors' work and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness 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. (On another note, the canine performer manages looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting every expected note. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
