It is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a dog following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations prevent individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to become depressed.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively remains rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. The plot proves to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split could have been more nuanced with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
