It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a dog following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations impede former couples from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of dogs – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – played by familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries surrounding lush pines as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since the title character is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
