This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a dog post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to split households. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. This is a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Visually carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as North Carolina substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. This is not Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for the split might seem more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
