It is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups impede individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – countless people attest to their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in pet despair, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation holds water remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than its premise. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity are modest. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think fake snow clinging to green trees as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the actors' work and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, predictable love story, and physical comedy, failing to master any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a little too aloof, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, since the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split would feel more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
