This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for all parties. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in pet despair, simply recall a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries clinging to green trees as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
If these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach shifts uneasily between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.
