This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations impede individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable is rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the depth are modest. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
If these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video this December.
