This is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a dog post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations prevent former couples from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, as a development worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, simply recall a past film. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
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 its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The plot proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries piled on lush pines as a summer location doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness does not extend for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Merv himself manages looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split would feel more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
