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It is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups prevent ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.

While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to split households. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively remains debatable at best.

Predictable Foundations

Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.

Where the Film Shines

If these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who scroll endlessly for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and human reaction, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

This level of success is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)

The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.

• Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform starting December 10.