This is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to split households. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. The plot proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who scroll endlessly for dog videos. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, 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 shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog manages looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is by far the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation might seem more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.
