This is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such setups prevent ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. This is a holiday release from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.
Where the Film Shines
Whether these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)
The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for the split would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
