This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations prevent individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses 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, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts merge into an entertaining watch depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who seek out for dog videos. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth 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 cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.
