Merv Review – A Four-Legged Actor Commands the Show in Amazon’s Formulaic Holiday Romance

This is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a pet following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations impede individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.

Without minimizing the inner life of animals – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable is rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. This is a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries surrounding lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.

Where the Film Shines

Whether these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.

The Two-Legged Cast

Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)

The story strives to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since the dog is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their separation might seem more nuanced with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Making a film on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.

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