This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups hinder ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The plot unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for pet content. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
