This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog following a split is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent ex-partners from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than a light film. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for the split would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
