This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a dog post-separation is a terrible idea. Most will argue such situations hinder ex-partners from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of animals – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively is rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
If these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable depends on the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is by far the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their original breakup would feel more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
