It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations impede ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. For a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to life in two homes. If this concept a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think flurries clinging to green trees as North Carolina substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
