It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such setups hinder former couples from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of animals – pet parents observe their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on such a setup works effectively is debatable at best.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the depth remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – as seen in fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
How these predictable parts come together into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness does not extend for the romantic plot. Its style shifts uneasily between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal seems a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Making a film about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.
