It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations hinder former couples from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Not to downplay the inner life of dogs – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. The narrative unfolds as uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think flurries clinging to verdant foliage as a warm climate substitutes for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie does offer walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
