It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations impede ex-partners from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable seems debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and an acceptance of comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation might seem more nuanced with less exposition and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
