It is a common warning for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations prevent former couples from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of animals – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in pet despair, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on such a setup is sustainable remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a warm climate substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these familiar elements coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for dog videos. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
