This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such setups hinder former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, consider a past film. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively seems rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think fake snow clinging to green trees as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these predictable parts come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the execution and an acceptance of easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. The film's approach shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting has potential – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
