This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements prevent individuals from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of animals – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth are modest. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched 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 belong with each other. Side characters – played by familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in flurries clinging to lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch depends on the execution and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to add substance to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the dog is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation would feel more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform this December.
