It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in pet despair, simply recall a past film. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow surrounding green trees as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. The character comes across as a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
