This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such setups prevent ex-partners from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of dogs – pet parents attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need masterclass in pet despair, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video this December.
