This is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. Most will argue such setups impede individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to life in two homes. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable seems rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The narrative proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow surrounding lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
How these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, since the title character is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
