It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in pet despair, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on such a setup is sustainable remains debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth is limited. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
If these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for dog videos. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, since the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting every expected note. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
