This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a dog post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict holds water is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think fake snow clinging to green trees as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for dog videos. Audiences receive a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since the dog is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their separation could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
