It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups hinder individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in pet despair, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on such a setup holds water is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth are modest. The plot unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by familiar faces – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts come together into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the bizarre setting. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages looking despondent – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
