It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements impede individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on such a setup is sustainable is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for dog videos. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split might seem more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
