This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements hinder individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. As it turns out, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by the writing duo and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth are modest. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a charming humility that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – but it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform this December.
