This is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations prevent individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. The narrative unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow clinging to lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the execution and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
