This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a dog following a split is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups impede ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of animals – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. For a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably realize the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by flurries surrounding green trees as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
