This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements impede individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
Not to downplay the inner life of dogs – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – played by familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
If these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.