This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a dog following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations prevent former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – countless people attest to their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. Its storyline is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.
