This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent ex-partners from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of our pets – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable remains rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity are modest. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think fake snow piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. The character seems a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer manages acting depressed – not quite 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 – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video this December.
