It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups prevent individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location substitutes for a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between serious study, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Making a film with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video this December.
