It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a dog following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements hinder individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to become depressed.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – many owners speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. The plot proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, since the title character is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split might seem more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
