It is a common warning among many that sharing custody a dog post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups prevent individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of our pets – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who seek out for pet content. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between serious study, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video starting December 10.
