🔗 Share this article

This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a pet following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such setups hinder ex-partners from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.

Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle adapting to split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively seems a questionable prospect.

Standard Holiday Fare

Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. The plot proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – featuring familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in fake snow surrounding lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a cold December city.

The Dog's Domain

If these predictable parts come together into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.

The Two-Legged Cast

This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)

The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split would feel more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film with this canine conflict has potential – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.

• Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.