This is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a dog post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent former couples from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, and in a twist worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.
While respecting the inner life of dogs – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively remains a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by flurries surrounding verdant foliage as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.
