It is a common warning for numerous people that jointly caring for a pet post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation works effectively is rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think flurries surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup would feel more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
