It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a dog post-separation is a terrible idea. Most will argue such setups prevent individuals from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for all parties. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners attest to their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts come together into an entertaining watch depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split might seem more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
