This is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in pet despair, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on such a setup is sustainable remains a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than a light film. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look is reminiscent of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow clinging to green trees as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness does not extend for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
