It is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements impede ex-partners from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation works effectively seems a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The narrative proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think fake snow piled on verdant foliage as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
How these predictable parts come together into something enjoyable depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, since Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
