This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations hinder ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of our pets – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on green trees as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
