This is a common warning among many that co-parenting a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. For a standout portrayal in pet despair, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by fake snow clinging to green trees as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing 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 wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
