This is a widely held belief in certain circles that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede ex-partners from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think fake snow clinging to lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between serious study, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
