This is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. If this concept a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity are modest. Its storyline proves to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a warm climate substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts merge into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split would feel more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
