It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations prevent ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adapting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively remains debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity are modest. Its storyline is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
If these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a plethora 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 the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The film's approach shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
The story strives to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – even if it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform this December.
