This is a common warning in certain circles that co-parenting a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such setups prevent ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in pet despair, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict holds water seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely realize the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts come together into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who seek out for dog videos. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
