It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations hinder individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. Apparently, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of our pets – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth are modest. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think flurries piled on lush pines as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between serious study, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character seems a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
