This is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations prevent former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. I firmly believe 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. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. The plot is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow piled on verdant foliage as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup would feel more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
