This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations impede individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of animals – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall a past film. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on such a setup is sustainable is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – as seen in fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for dog videos. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward required by the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video this December.