It is a common warning among many that co-parenting a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder ex-partners from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to become depressed.
While respecting the inner life of animals – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively seems rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The plot proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – as seen in flurries piled on green trees as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the execution and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split might seem more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
