This is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements prevent individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation holds water is rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The plot 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 rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will presumably realize the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
