It is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such setups prevent individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in canine melancholy, consider a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth are modest. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow surrounding lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward 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, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
