🔗 Share this article

This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements impede individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to become depressed.

Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in dog sorrow, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively remains debatable at best.

Standard Holiday Fare

Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow surrounding green trees as North Carolina substitutes for a cold December city.

Where the Film Shines

How these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.

Where It Wobbles

Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)

The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – but it's not exactly a great one either.

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