It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such setups impede individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adjusting to life in two homes. If this concept a feature-length romcom around this situation holds water is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. We have here a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries clinging to lush pines as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character seems a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation could have been more nuanced with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
