This is a common warning among many that co-parenting a pet following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations prevent individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. To witness a masterclass in canine melancholy, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict holds water is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. This is a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects clinging to lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog manages looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation could have been more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
