It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede individuals from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. The narrative proves to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts come together into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master any one mode. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer manages acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
