This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a dog post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adjusting to life in two homes. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. Its storyline is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
How these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness does not extend for the romantic plot. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for the split could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
