This is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a dog following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements hinder former couples from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. For a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think fake snow piled on green trees as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch depends on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character seems a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
