This is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – many owners observe their profound sensitivity. To witness a prime example in pet despair, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think fake snow piled on verdant foliage as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
