It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements impede ex-partners from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of dogs – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on such a setup holds water is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than a light film. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably realize the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow clinging to green trees as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who scroll endlessly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between serious study, zany antics, formulaic romance, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
