It is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. For a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation works effectively is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
