It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a dog post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of dogs – pet parents observe their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on such a setup holds water remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth is limited. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow piled on green trees as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
