This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such setups hinder individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – countless people observe their profound sensitivity. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively seems rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as North Carolina substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – individuals who seek out for dog videos. Audiences receive a plethora of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Human Element
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog manages acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.
