It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a dog post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder ex-partners from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and an acceptance of easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw 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, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, since the dog is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
