MERV (AMAZON PRIME) (2025)

SYNOPSIS: There’s nothing more complicated than a breakup. Except when you're sharing a dog.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Dog movies are practically a genre of their own. I mean, who can resist a cute canine prancing across the screen? Throw in a love angle and set the story during the Christmas season and voilà you’ve got the perfect recipe for a rousing, charming rom-com.

At least, that’s probably what the folks at Amazon were thinking.

After calling it quits, Anna (Zooey Deschanel) and Russ (Charlie Cox) still have to co-parent their beloved dog, Merv (played by Gus). Each gets a week with him, but our cute terrier has sunk into a bout of depression. Apparently, he just can’t handle seeing Anna and Russ apart.

So Russ plans a vacation to the Paws Season dog resort in Florida, hoping it’ll lift Merv’s spirits. To his surprise, Anna turns up too even though she’s notoriously sun-sensitive.

And of course… you know where this is going.

Merv could’ve been the ultimate rom-com dog movie if the movie actually gave him enough screen time. There are no silly or funny canine gags, and the story gets bogged down with unnecessary side plots that don’t really support the main theme. Anna and Russ each have best friends to confide in, but those scenes amount to little more than polite filler.

There’s also a detour in the middle act to visit Russ’s parents at a senior community presumably a chance for the couple to reconnect but it feels more like going through the motions than anything that makes us genuinely root for them. Another dog owner at the resort develops a crush on Russ, which could’ve added some spice, but that subplot gets brushed aside before it can matter.

Deschanel and Cox make for a fresh pairing, especially with Cox reverting to his original British accent. Still, the reason for their supposedly bitter breakup and their constant bickering feels undercooked. Add to that the on-and-off presence of Merv himself, and you’re left with a movie that tries to be romantic, funny, and adorable but ultimately manages none of the above.

In the end, it’s just another forgettable holiday rom-com.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee