It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a pet following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. Apparently, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of our pets – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. The plot unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these predictable parts come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the execution and an acceptance of easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – the kind who seek out for dog videos. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach shifts uneasily between serious study, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. The character can feel a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that the title character is undoubtedly the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
