This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements prevent former couples from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
While respecting the mental health of our pets – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries piled on green trees as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
