This is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent former couples from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.
While respecting the inner life of our pets – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ, played by 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 dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think fake snow surrounding green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
If these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for pet content. It provides a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, given that the title character is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's not exactly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
