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This is a widely held belief in certain circles that jointly caring for a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups hinder ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to feel down.

While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people attest to their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, consider another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable is rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions are modest. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by flurries clinging to lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.

The Canine Charisma

How these predictable parts coalesce into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.

The Human Element

This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, the canine performer manages looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)

Merv tries to provide depth to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – even if it's hardly a brilliant concept.

• Merv premieres on Prime Video this December.