🔗 Share this article

This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations hinder former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.

Not to downplay the mental health of animals – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to life in two homes. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable remains rather doubtful.

Predictable Foundations

Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the complexity are modest. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.

The Canine Charisma

Whether these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.

The Human Element

This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a scene-stealer.)

The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is by far the best part of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their separation would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a great one either.

• Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.