This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements 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 also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adjusting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think flurries surrounding lush pines as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a charming humility that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
