It is a widely held belief in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations prevent former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively seems rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow piled on lush pines as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split might seem more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
