This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict holds water remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow surrounding green trees as a warm climate doubles as the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split would feel more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.
