It is a widely held belief in certain circles that co-parenting a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations impede former couples from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation holds water is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. Its storyline proves to be uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on green trees as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers 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, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, considering the dog is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
