It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such setups prevent individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict holds water seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – played by familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in flurries surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. The character can feel a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise has potential – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
