It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in flurries surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between serious study, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
