In the genre of cheesy holiday movies, Merv is a welcome addition, with its redeeming qualities being its witty jokes and well paced plot. 

Merv, starring Zooey Deschanel as Anna Finch and Charlie Cox as Russ Owens, shows the awkward comedic journey of a couple navigating co-parenting a dog after he falls into a depression following the couple’s breakup. 

The movie is fast-paced and easy to follow, keeping viewers interested throughout. The ex-couple goes on a weeklong vacation with the hopes of cheering up Merv, but instead find they both still have feelings for each other.

The plot is surface-level and predictable right off the bat, but for a cheesy rom-com, it does its job. With funny quips throughout the movie, the audience is kept entertained while rooting for the main characters. 

The movie is filled with genuine and heartfelt moments. There is nothing too intense or jaw-dropping, as the most intense scene lasts for about 20 seconds before it resolves itself. And every choice made lowers the suspense and makes the resolution clearer than before. 

Deschanel does an excellent job embodying the quirky girl character. As she showed in her past works New Girl and 500 Days of Summer, she handles this archetype with ease, making the quirks seem natural and not forced. She brings genuineness to Anna´s character and makes her extremely likable. 

Merv is certainly not a life-changing movie, but for a quick watch for some downtime and a laugh, it provides a mood booster. 

The movie is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.