It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a dog post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups prevent former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively seems debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely 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. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself manages looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
