It is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups impede former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – countless people observe their deep emotional capacity. To witness a masterclass in dog sorrow, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in flurries piled on green trees as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
If these predictable parts merge into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
