This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations impede former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the depth is limited. The plot proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
