Merv Review – A Canine Star Steals the Show in the Streaming Giant’s By-the-Book Holiday Romance

This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a dog post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups hinder individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.

Not to downplay the mental health of animals – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable is rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.

Where the Film Shines

If these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.

The Two-Legged Cast

The same praise cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)

The story strives to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though it's hardly a great one either.

• Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.