🔗 Share this article

This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a pet following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder former couples from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.

Not to downplay the inner life of our pets – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup holds water remains debatable at best.

Predictable Foundations

Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The plot unfolds as simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. The film's look is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow clinging to green trees as North Carolina doubles as a wintery Boston.

The Dog's Domain

If these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.

The Human Element

This level of success does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)

The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the dog is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.

• Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform starting December 10.