This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations hinder individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of animals – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth is limited. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably realize the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between serious study, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since Merv is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
