This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a pet following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – pet parents attest to their profound sensitivity. To witness a prime example in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth are modest. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a little too aloof, especially when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer manages acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for the split would feel more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video this December.
