It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – countless people observe their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict holds water seems a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between animal action and human reaction, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the bizarre setting. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
