It is a widely held belief in certain circles that co-parenting a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent former couples from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. For a masterclass in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation holds water remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth is limited. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow piled on green trees as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages looking despondent – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation would feel more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
