It is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups impede former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
Not to downplay the mental health of our pets – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adjusting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to verdant foliage as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog manages looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation could have been more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
