This is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements prevent former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in pet despair, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think fake snow surrounding green trees as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and human reaction, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character seems a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the dog is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Making a film with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
