It is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations hinder ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think flurries clinging to verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience depends on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a charming humility that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character seems a little too aloof, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
