It is a widely held belief in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of animals – pet parents observe their profound sensitivity. For a masterclass in pet despair, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation holds water is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by flurries surrounding green trees as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a charming humility that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
