It is a common warning in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
While respecting the mental health of animals – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable seems rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in flurries surrounding lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – while no 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 – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for the split might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Making a film with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform this December.
