Merv

Sure, as the above review stated, "merv (does) steal your heart" OF COURSE HE DOES he's adorable but, and this is a big but - an animal co-star should be just that, a co-star and NOT merely a prop. However in the case of Merv, the doggo is simply that and it's very awkward - I don't know if Zoey is a cat person or what but it's like she's never touched a dog before and watching her attempt to act off of him is borderline cringe. Charlie isn't much better - so ya it's cute and yes I'd say it's worth a watch but just know this isn't a dog movie as much as a movie with a dog - I know I KNOW but....

This Amazon movie became available streaming this week. I was anxious to watch it because I am a Zooey fan. So my wife and I watched it. I enjoyed it fine as interesting entertainment, she enjoyed it less, she feels that some parts moved a bit too slowly.

Living and working in Boston Zooey Deschanel is Anna Finch, an optometrist. She has been in a long-term relationship with Charlie Cox as elementary school teacher Russ Owens. They have a dog, Merv, that each one is very attached to, much like if it were a child.

When the two split up for questionable reasons they make an agreement to share Merv, alternate weeks. But Merv seems to be depressed so Russ decides his next week will be spent with Merv at a Florida dog resort on the beach.

They go but Anna shows up unannounced, that is the catalyst to create a number of interesting situations. As we watch we sense that Anna and Russ aren't really over each other and it seems that will be leading to their repairing the fractured relationship.

There are a few novel concepts and while it isn't a very memorable movie I did find it suitably entertaining. Just a one-time viewing.

A stereotypical holiday-themed romcom AND a dog? Yes, please!

It's a story about a modern couple that's co-parenting a dog and dealing with a break-up.

Charlie Cox was so good in this role: sweet, charming, funny and believable. He's exactly the love interest you'd want to see in a film of this caliber. He's the approachable guy next door, but then they put glasses on him and he instantly became 10 times hotter.

Gus the dog who played Merv is so adorable, i just couldn't take my eyes off of him.

However.....since when can Zooey Deschanel not act?! I'm a big fan of "New Girl", and I always assumed she was a good enough actress. Now I'm starting to think that the strong male cast of the show concealed he lack of talent so well that I was fooled. Here she is absolutely horrible. She couldn't even have chemistry with the dog on screen. The entire film it just felt like she really didn't want to be on that set. I didn't believe a single thing she has said, a single face expression. It devastates me to say, she was just bad in this movie. Replace her with any other female lead, plus Charlie and Gus - and it would have been a solid romcom.

Merv isn't just a typical dog comedy. It's a story about breakups and about confronting the emotions experienced by the characters played by Charlie Cox and Zooey Deschanel in relation to their human/dog. Merv the dog is diagnosed with depression after spending a week at his owner's home, and to pull him out of that slump, Cox's character decides to take him to a dog camp to lift his spirits. As the days go by, Deschanel's character reappears, and the two begin to reconnect, rediscovering their feelings for each other while Merv also improves. What stands out is the chemistry between Cox and Deschanel, which at times even outshines the dog's charm, though the pet still plays a key role. Ultimately, the film highlights the challenges of moving forward and the value of staying honest.

I watched this because it had Charlie Cox in it. I was pleasantly surprised when I heard him in his actual accent. It certainly increased his charm. He and the dog Merv were the stars of this movie! He and Zoey Deschanel had not a drop of chemistry. I didn't think she had much chemistry with the dog Merv either. The story line was also way too long and disjointed. He was the better dog owner, in my opinion. Enjoyed the scenes with Patrica Heaton. She gave this movie some humor. Charlie Cox's dance moves were spectacular. He looked to be having a lot of fun in those dance scenes. It is a clean movie with no sex scenes or bad language so appropriate for most ages.