It is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations impede former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in canine melancholy, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. The narrative unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow clinging to lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, given that the title character is easily the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
