This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations prevent former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to become depressed.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by fake snow clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina substitutes for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for dog videos. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character can feel a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is by far the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split might seem more adult and realistic with less exposition and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
