It is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a dog post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations impede individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in pet despair, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The plot unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think fake snow surrounding lush pines as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
If these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance 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. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
