This is a common warning for numerous people that co-parenting a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations impede former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of animals – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in pet despair, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively seems a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – as seen in fake snow piled on green trees as a summer location substitutes for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, pet moping, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since the title character is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
