It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a pet following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations hinder individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with split households. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on such a setup holds water remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. We have here a holiday release from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – as seen in flurries clinging to verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
If these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation could have been more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
