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It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a pet following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements prevent individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to feel down.

Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – many owners attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in canine melancholy, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation works effectively seems debatable at best.

A Familiar Formula

Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by flurries surrounding green trees as a summer location doubles as a wintery Boston.

The Dog's Domain

If these familiar elements merge into something enjoyable hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.

The Human Element

This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in flopping and whining – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)

The story strives to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if it's not exactly a stroke of genius.

• Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.