It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups prevent former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of dogs – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in pet despair, simply recall another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively remains debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to lush pines as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
How these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
