🔗 Share this article

This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements hinder ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.

While respecting the mental health of animals – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, simply recall another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adjusting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable remains rather doubtful.

Predictable Foundations

To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity are modest. The plot unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries piled on green trees as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.

The Canine Charisma

How these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is Merv himself, and even if it causes some awkward editing between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.

Where It Wobbles

Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a scene-stealer.)

The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for the split would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.

• Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.