This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a pet following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations impede former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow piled on lush pines as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between serious study, zany antics, predictable love story, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split would feel more nuanced with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
