It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations hinder individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict holds water remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than a light film. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The plot proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
