This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – pet parents observe their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. 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 divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water remains debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The plot unfolds as simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a summer location substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is by far the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
