This is a common warning among many that jointly caring for a pet following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations hinder former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – many owners observe their profound sensitivity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup holds water is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a summer location stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
