It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a pet post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable remains rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth are modest. The plot proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think flurries piled on green trees as a warm climate doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for dog videos. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Making a film with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.
