This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a pet following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations prevent ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation holds water seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness does not extend for the romantic plot. The film's approach vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. The character can feel a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for the split might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform this December.
