It is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents observe their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable remains rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in flurries surrounding lush pines as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that the title character is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their original breakup would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
