It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
While respecting the mental health of animals – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict holds water seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will presumably realize the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location substitutes for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm 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 seems a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, since the title character is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform this December.
