This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
While respecting the mental health of our pets – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict holds water is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow piled on lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna can feel a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, considering the dog is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split might seem more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
