This is a common warning for numerous people that co-parenting a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of dogs – pet parents observe their profound sensitivity. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – as seen in flurries clinging to green trees as North Carolina substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience depends on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
