It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a pet following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups prevent individuals from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on such a setup holds water seems debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
If these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for pet content. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, since Merv is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
