This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of our pets – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since the dog is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
