It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such setups prevent individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – countless people attest to their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity are modest. Its storyline is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by 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 obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow piled on green trees as a summer location stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer manages acting depressed – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
