It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a pet following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements impede individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – many owners speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think flurries clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who seek out for dog videos. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie does offer walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a charming humility that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
