It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations prevent individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a masterclass in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. The plot proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon 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 seek out for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. The character comes across as a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, since the dog is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.
