This is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline 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 uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a summer location stands in for a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
How these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for dog videos. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the dog is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
