It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – pet parents attest to their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow surrounding green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
How these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable depends on the execution and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that the title character is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
