This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such arrangements impede individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – countless people observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think flurries clinging to verdant foliage as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, since the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup would feel more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video this December.
