It is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups prevent individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity are modest. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow piled on green trees as a warm climate substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these predictable parts come together into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
