This is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively seems debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a corporate studio – the depth is limited. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these predictable parts merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
