This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations impede former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider a past film. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – as seen in flurries clinging to verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a little too aloof, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
