This easygoing rom-com is cute … but dumb.
Unlike its title character, who is cute and smart.
Director Jessica Swale’s modest film has three things going for it: human stars Zooey Deschanel and Charlie Cox, and an amazingly expressive wire-haired terrier rescue mix named Gus. Beyond that, Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart’s script is as predictable as morning dew and noontime sun, with nary a surprise along the way.
Anna (Zooey Deschanel) isn't happy when Russ (Charlie Cox) drags her along for a
visit with his parents, but Merv — in the back seat — is delighted. He'll get to spend
time with all of his favorite people.
Granted, the result often is charming and goes down easily; there are worse ways to spend 105 minutes. Happy endings can be quite satisfying, even when they’re telegraphed from the onset.
Boston-based Anna (Deschanel) and Russ (Cox) share alternating custody weeks of their beloved dog, Merv (Gus), after having gone their separate ways. Their break-up — after several years together — came as surprise to friends and family, who believed them an ideal couple destined for marriage.
Russ works as an elementary school teacher, and has a good time with his young students. Alas, he’s a wreck at home: listless, unwilling to clean up stuff, clearly unhappy. Anna, an optometrist, is professional but stoic; she conceals her feelings to friends and colleagues.
Christmas is approaching, and — regardless of who he’s with — Merv is inconsolable. He mopes constantly and shows little interest in playing. A concerned visit to a vet (Andrea Laing) reveals nothing physically wrong, but she perceptively notices that Merv is depressed. Why? Because he likes having both of his people around.
Well, that isn’t in the cards (although we know it is, eventually). Meanwhile, Russ impulsively feigns the flu to get out of work, and bundles Merv up for a relaxing and playful week at a Florida-based doggy spa. This setting is laden with opportunities for sight gags, and Clark and Stewart don’t miss any: dogs doing yoga, an oh-so-sincere animal “spiritual healer” (Wynn Everett) and plenty of lunatic owners.
The dynamic gets even more chaotic when Anna crashes the party: not because she misses Russ (although she clearly does), but supposedly so Merv can benefit from a week with both of them.
Russ loves the beachified surroundings; Anna is (ahem) allergic to sunlight, which gives costume designer Allison Pearce an excuse to pour Deschanel into all sorts of unflattering outfits. Apparently that’s intended to be funny, but it comes off as weird.
Our attention nonetheless is held by the obvious ongoing chemistry between Russ and Anna, and the effortless manner with which Cox and Deschanel convey the necessary “reluctant distance” that eventually thaws. Cox retains his British accent, which gives Russ an inherent bit of savoir faire; Deschanel has plenty of opportunity to display her beguiling quirkiness.
The key supporting characters are solidly cast, but woefully underused. Chris Redd is a hoot as Russ’ best friend Desmond, the school vice principal; he cheerfully calls Russ out on his failings. Jasmine Mathews and Victoria Blade occasionally pop up as Anna’s best friends, Rebekah and Carly.
Ellyn Jameson gets a few good scenes as Jocelyn, a fellow dog owner who fancies Russ, but Jason Burkey’s Tom — supposedly intended to be Anna’s rebound interest — disappears so quickly that his presence is pointless.
Patricia Heaton fares best, as Russ’ mother MJ; Heaton knows how to play light dramedy — thanks to her decade on Everybody Loves Raymond — and she persuasively sells MJ’s passive/aggressive/doting feelings for Anna.
But Gus (Merv) steals the show; he’s amazingly easy to read. Swale and animal wrangler Katelyn O’Rourke get the pooch to deliver a wealth of well-timed glances, double takes, droopy ears and much more. At his most forlorn, Merv breaks our hearts. He’s also tolerant, putting up with all manner of goofy outfits, including little booties when forced to navigate Boston’s winter weather.
(About that. Most of the movie was filmed in and around Wilmington, North Carolina — during the summer — which explains the unrealistic clumps of snow.)
I’ve no doubt Merv’s performance also required considerable patience on the part of cinematographer Julio Macat, in order to get the right pose or expression, at the right moment.
Tom Howe’s lighthearted score frequently yields to droll pop tunes such as “Christmas Is Going to the Dogs,” “Puppies Are Forever” and (of course) “Who Let the Dogs Out.”
Merv certainly won’t light any fires, but — with modest expectations — you’ll have a good time with him.
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