Merv Review – A Canine Star Dominates the Spotlight in Amazon’s By-the-Book Christmas Romcom

This is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. Most will argue such arrangements hinder former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.

Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix played by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation holds water seems rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the depth is limited. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow clinging to lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.

The Canine Charisma

How these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the execution and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.

The Human Element

The same praise does not extend for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Merv himself manages acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)

The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.

• Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.