This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively is rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth is limited. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
If these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. The character can feel a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
