This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations impede former couples from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than a light film. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think fake snow clinging to green trees as a summer location doubles as the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split might seem more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
