It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a pet following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations impede individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer manages acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for the split would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
