This is a common warning among many that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations hinder former couples from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by fake snow surrounding green trees as a warm climate substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video this December.
