This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations prevent individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to become depressed.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth are modest. The narrative unfolds as uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since the dog is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
