This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements hinder former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of animals – countless people attest to their profound sensitivity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, since the title character is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
