It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in dog sorrow, consider a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water is a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video this December.
