It is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. To witness a masterclass in dog sorrow, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the depth are modest. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
