This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it also makes our furry friends to feel down.
Not to downplay the mental health of animals – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable is a questionable prospect.A Familiar Formula
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think fake snow piled on green trees as a warm climate substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who seek out for dog videos. The film delivers a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between serious study, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a touch too detached, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
