It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation holds water remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. We have here a holiday release from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think fake snow clinging to verdant foliage as a warm climate substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their separation could have been more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
