It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a pet following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements hinder former couples from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively remains debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity are modest. The narrative proves to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
This level of success cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, not quite landing any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that provides 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 click for some but not others. The character comes across as a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since the title character is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Making a film with this canine conflict has potential – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
