It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. Seemingly, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to become depressed.
While respecting the inner life of animals – many owners observe their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adapting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on such a setup is sustainable seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation would feel more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
