This is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a pet following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations impede ex-partners from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of dogs – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. Its storyline is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for dog videos. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between serious study, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward demanded of the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages acting depressed – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
