It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a dog post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements prevent individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of our pets – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in pet despair, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively seems rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries piled on lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach vacillates 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 willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
