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This is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements prevent former couples from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. As it turns out, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.

While respecting the mental health of animals – countless people observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, consider recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable seems rather doubtful.

Standard Holiday Fare

Honestly, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and under the guidance of director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects clinging to lush pines as a summer location doubles as the Northeast.

The Dog's Domain

If these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.

The Human Element

The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)

The story strives to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – even if it's hardly a great one either.

• Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.