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It is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Seemingly, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to feel down.

While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable is debatable at best.

Standard Holiday Fare

Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a cold December city.

The Canine Charisma

How these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

Such effectiveness does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog is convincing at looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)

Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since the title character is easily the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – even if it's hardly a great one either.

• Merv streams on Prime Video this December.