It is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations hinder individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. The plot is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – as seen in flurries surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split might seem more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform this December.
