It is a widely held belief in certain circles that co-parenting a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations prevent former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of dogs – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. This is a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think flurries clinging to green trees as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness does not extend for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split would feel more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
