This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations prevent individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable seems debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by fake snow piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the dog, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (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's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation could have been more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform this December.
