This is a common warning among many that jointly caring for a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups hinder former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in pet despair, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively remains debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects clinging to verdant foliage as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts come together into something enjoyable depends on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for dog videos. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since Merv is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video this December.
