It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations impede former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in pet despair, consider another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for pet content. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
