It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements hinder individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
While respecting the mental health of dogs – countless people observe their profound sensitivity. For a standout portrayal in pet despair, consider another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively seems debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The plot unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on green trees as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – individuals who seek out for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness does not extend for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
