It is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements impede former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation holds water is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation could have been more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
