It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements prevent former couples from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
While respecting the mental health of dogs – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in canine melancholy, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – played by a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow clinging to lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
How these familiar elements coalesce into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video this December.
