This is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations impede individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the mental health of our pets – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water is rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow clinging to lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character seems a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
