It is a common warning for numerous people that jointly caring for a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, 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 become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of animals – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. For a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on such a setup holds water seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think fake snow clinging to lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
If these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, since the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
