This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations hinder individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow surrounding lush pines as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts come together into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach vacillates between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
