It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a dog post-separation is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups prevent ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
Not to downplay the inner life of dogs – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively seems a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The film's approach shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video this December.
