It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations impede ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need masterclass in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think flurries clinging to green trees as a summer location stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
