This is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations impede individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. As it turns out, as a development worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the mental health of our pets – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict holds water seems rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. 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 visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries piled on lush pines as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these predictable parts merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
This level of success cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, particularly when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
The story strives to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
