It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of animals – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
