This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a pet following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such setups prevent ex-partners from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively remains a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think flurries surrounding lush pines as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable depends on the execution and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the dog is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
