It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups prevent individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – many owners attest to their profound sensitivity. To witness a prime example in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow clinging to lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
If these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the dog, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
