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This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups prevent former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to become depressed.

While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in dog sorrow, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable remains a questionable prospect.

Standard Holiday Fare

To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think obvious snow effects clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.

The Canine Charisma

How these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.

The Human Element

Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach shifts uneasily between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a bit too dry, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Merv himself manages acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)

The story strives to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is undoubtedly the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for the split could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.

• Merv premieres on Prime Video starting December 10.