This is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to feel down.
Not to downplay the mental health of animals – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a full holiday film around this situation holds water seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. The character comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
