It is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in dog sorrow, simply recall recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch depends on the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since Merv is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
