It is a common warning for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations impede individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of animals – countless people observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The plot proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – 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 clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the dog is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split would feel more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
