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It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a pet following a split is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such setups hinder individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it also makes the canine in question to become depressed.

Not to downplay the mental health of animals – many owners attest to their profound sensitivity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, consider another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively seems a questionable prospect.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. It functions as a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think fake snow piled on lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.

The Canine Charisma

How these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.

The Two-Legged Cast

This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between serious study, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog manages acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, 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 the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's not exactly a stroke of genius.

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