It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations hinder ex-partners from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects clinging to verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
