It is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of dogs – pet parents attest to their profound sensitivity. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict holds water seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog manages looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, since the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation would feel more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Making a film on this shared-custody premise has potential – but I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
