This is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively is a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: 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 therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries clinging to green trees as North Carolina doubles as the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm 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. Her Anna can feel a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since Merv is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
