It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements prevent former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity are modest. The plot proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think flurries piled on lush pines as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to give weight to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
