It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such setups prevent individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for the split could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
