This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such setups impede former couples from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – many owners attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable is debatable at best.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – played by familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – as seen in fake snow clinging to green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character seems a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
