This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations impede former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable is rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility 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 click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a little too aloof, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
