This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a dog following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements impede former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – many owners attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline unfolds as 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 cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow clinging to verdant foliage as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between serious study, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to give weight to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since Merv is easily the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
