This is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements prevent former couples from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in pet despair, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation holds water remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements coalesce into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between serious study, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
