It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations impede individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – pet parents observe their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict holds water is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a little too aloof, notably when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is easily the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
