It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively remains rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The plot proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow surrounding green trees as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character seems a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.
