This is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a pet following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements impede former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the execution and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and human reaction, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is easily the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split would feel more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
