It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of dogs – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict holds water seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these familiar elements coalesce into an entertaining watch rests upon the execution and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation might seem more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
