🔗 Share this article

This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder ex-partners from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.

While respecting the inner life of our pets – many owners speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with split households. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable seems rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think flurries piled on green trees as a summer location doubles as the Northeast.

The Dog's Domain

If these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.

The Human Element

This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)

The story strives to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is easily the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.

• Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.