This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a pet post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede ex-partners from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water is rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to verdant foliage as a summer location substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a plethora of adorable dog montages. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. The character can feel a bit too dry, particularly when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split would feel more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
