This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups impede individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. The plot is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow piled on lush pines as a summer location doubles as the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
