This is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations hinder former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for all parties. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in pet despair, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow clinging to lush pines as a summer location substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw 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 canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling all its marks. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
