It is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a dog following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations prevent individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. Apparently, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, consider another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow clinging to lush pines as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Making a film with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
