It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups prevent individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of dogs – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. For a masterclass in pet despair, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot proves to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and human reaction, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation could have been more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling every expected note. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform this December.
