🔗 Share this article

It is a common warning among many that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. Most will argue such setups hinder individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.

While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time coping with split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively seems a questionable prospect.

A Familiar Formula

Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth are modest. Its storyline is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.

The Canine Charisma

Whether these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.

Where It Wobbles

Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. Her portrayal seems a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)

The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, considering the dog is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.

• Merv premieres on the Amazon platform starting December 10.