It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups hinder ex-partners from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider another performance. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think flurries clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the dog is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
