This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups prevent individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to feel down.
Not to downplay the mental health of animals – countless people observe their profound sensitivity. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, consider a past film. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is easily the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform this December.
