It is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements impede ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of dogs – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth is limited. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, 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, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a charming humility that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, since Merv is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split could have been more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
