It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a pet following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations hinder former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – countless people attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to split households. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think flurries clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of adorable dog montages. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
