It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in pet despair, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation would feel more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
