This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a dog post-separation is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups prevent former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to become depressed.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity are modest. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow piled on lush pines as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
If these familiar elements coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
