This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations impede individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of animals – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in pet despair, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects clinging to lush pines as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these predictable parts merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward demanded of the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling every expected note. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
