It is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations impede ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the mental health of our pets – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in pet despair, consider another performance. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation holds water is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
