It is a widely held belief for numerous people that jointly caring for a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups prevent individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog played 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 is sustainable is rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. The plot is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow piled on green trees as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
Where the Film Shines
If these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who seek out for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the dog, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the dog is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
