This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations impede ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think flurries piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a little too aloof, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting has potential – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video starting December 10.
