It is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a dog post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the mental health of animals – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation holds water remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. This is a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries clinging to green trees as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who seek out for dog videos. 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 succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. The character comes across as a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for the split might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
