This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations impede individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – many owners attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively seems rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by fake snow piled on lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
If these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who seek out for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
