This is a common warning among many that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents attest to their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup holds water remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects clinging to lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, 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 tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the dog is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for the split could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
