This is a common warning among many that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups hinder ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – countless people observe their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation holds water seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. This is a holiday release from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in fake snow surrounding green trees as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness does not extend for the human side of the story. The film's approach shifts uneasily between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the dog is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video starting December 10.
