It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a pet following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups impede ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for all parties. Apparently, as a development worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup holds water seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think flurries piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a charming humility that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
