This is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a pet following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in pet despair, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie does offer walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, especially when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
The story strives to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform this December.
