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This is a widely held belief in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups hinder ex-partners from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to become depressed.

Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable seems rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. This is a holiday release from a corporate studio – the depth are modest. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including a group of comedic actors – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think flurries surrounding lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.

Where the Film Shines

How these familiar elements coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who seek out for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and though it results in some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.

The Two-Legged Cast

Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer succeeds in looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)

The film attempts to provide depth to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since Merv is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Crafting a story with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a great one either.

• Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.