This is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a pet following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements impede ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – pet parents observe their profound sensitivity. If you need masterclass in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. The plot is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a summer location substitutes for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, since the title character is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting has potential – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
