Merv has debuted with a disappointing Rotten Tomatoes rating. The romantic comedy stars Charlie Cox in his first non-MCU film in seven years. Whereas Cox had a cameo in Spider-Man: No Approach Residence (2021) as Matt Murdock, other than that, he has primarily finished TV. His final starring function in a film was King of Thieves (2018).
Now, following its launch on Prime Video, Merv has debuted with a 38% rating from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The film solely has 13 critiques on the time of writing, so its rating might fluctuate as extra are printed. With fewer than 50 scores from customers, it does not but have an viewers rating.
Directed by Jessica Swale, with a script written by duo Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart, Merv stars Charlie Cox and Zooey Deschanel as a separated couple who uncover that their canine has fallen right into a deep melancholy after their break up and resolve to take him on a sunny Florida getaway in hopes of cheering him up.
Led by Charlie Cox and Emmy nominee Zooey Deschanel (New Lady), the forged additionally contains Emmy winners Chris Redd (Saturday Night time Stay), Patricia Heaton (All people Loves Raymond), David Hunt, Ellyn Jameson, Wynn Everett, Jasmine Mathews, Joey Slotnick, and Jessica Swale.
In ScreenRant‘s Merv evaluation, Grant Hermanns writes, “Zooey Deschanel and Charlie Cox are misplaced in a blunt, saccharine Dad or mum Lure riff… Prime Video’s Merv strives for a cute new twist on the broken-up-reconciliation formulation, however is introduced down by a woefully on-the-nose script… Despite a few of its allure, the film performs issues so protected that it nearly looks like an insult to viewers’ intelligence.”
In any other case, critics largely agree that Merv is a lightweight and predictable rom-com that leans too onerous on its premise with out creating compelling characters. Many word the weak chemistry between Charlie Cox and Zooey Deschanel – calling the movie shallow, contrived, and infrequently boring. A number of reviewers argue that Merv the Canine feels extra like a plot gadget than a significant character, leaving the film emotionally undercooked.
Nonetheless, a handful of critics discover the movie candy sufficient to advocate – praising its light vacation vibe, cute canine, and occasional insights about love, co-parenting, and household. Whereas nobody claims it reinvents the style, some admire Merv‘s heat and innocent allure. For these critics, predictable storytelling is forgivable when the film delivers easy consolation and seasonal feel-good vitality.
- Launch Date
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December 10, 2025
- Runtime
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105
- Director
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Jessica Swale
- Writers
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Dane Clark, Linsey Stewart
- Producers
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Matthew Baer, Roma Downey