This is a widely held belief in certain circles that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations hinder individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for all parties. Seemingly, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of dogs – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively seems debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the romantic plot. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Making a film on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
