It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such setups impede individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need masterclass in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The narrative unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries piled on green trees as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation might seem more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
