This is a common warning among many that sharing custody a pet post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to become depressed.
Not to downplay the emotional well-being of dogs – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a masterclass in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively remains debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity remains surface-level. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by flurries surrounding green trees as a summer location substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and an acceptance of comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal 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. The character comes across as a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)
The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
