Merv: A Heartwarming Holiday Romantic Comedy

Directed by Jessica Swale, Merv is Prime Video’s latest holiday release, offers audiences a healthy mix between a romcom, and a classic dog story. The story follows Anna (Deschanel) and Russ (Cox), a recently broken-up couple who have come to an agreement to co-parent their shared dog Merv on a week-to-week basis. However, Merv had since become increasingly depressed following their breakup, therefore, in order to try and lift Merv’s spirits up over the holidays, Russ and Anna agree to take him on a sunny vacation to Florida. Little did they know, over the course of their vacation, unexpected sparks would develop, opening up the possibility that they could rekindle their relationship. Featuring a premise that will inevitably appeal to dog owners and animal lovers, the film itself is a rather forgettable effort that fails to bring anything remotely new to both the genres it belongs in.

Now it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone that Merv the dog is easily the highlight of the film, and an adorable canine to watch onscreen, despite spending most of his time depressed or looking down. Similarly, the dog actors assembled here to play him also deserve kudos, not only for doing a great job, but also for the fact that it would be nearly impossible to watch this and not completely fall in love with him. On the other hand, the film may be far from the laugh riot that some may have expected but, to its credit, it does have some good laughs to it thanks to Deschanel and Cox, leads who are no stranger to comedy, especially light-hearted fare such as this. Boasting a decent sense of humour, it all works hand-in-hand with the overall tone of the film. Wearing its heart proudly on its sleeve, if anything, the film makes for quite the touching experience if nothing else, and is sure to strike a chord with dog lovers, especially if they have gone through a similar situation to the characters onscreen.

Though Merv lacks anything in the way of what one would consider glaring flaws, one thing that will be hard to get around for audiences is simply how mediocre the film is in its execution, offering little to no staying power. While Deschanel and Cox are good in their own right as Anna and Russ, they don’t have the chemistry needed to create the kind of romantic dynamic worth investing in or, at a minimum, just care about whether or not the two ever end up back together, outside of their scenes with Merv. In the end, these issues ultimately stem from a script that leaves a bit to be desired, offering no character development whatsoever, as it relates to Anna and Russ’ relationship, how it started, and why the couple broke up to begin with. Instead, it relies on just about every cliché and trope in the book, hitting every predictable beat one would expect to a tee, while providing next to no surprises along the way.

While Merv is the furthest thing from a bad film, it is one that will especially hit with its target audience, holiday romcom fans or even just dog lovers. Something that could have been so much more, the lack of chemistry between Deschanel and Cox, its formulaic story, and a messy script are what truly hold it back from being more. While it may not work for all audiences, its big heart, sweet message, and the character of Merv the dog, are enough to keep it watchable.

still courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/