It is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a dog following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations impede individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – though I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
