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This is a common warning in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations impede former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance across the board. Apparently, in a revelation fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.

Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, consider a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to life in two homes. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup is sustainable seems debatable at best.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects surrounding green trees as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.

The Dog's Domain

How these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

This level of success is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach shifts uneasily between emotional depth, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, not quite landing any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)

The film attempts to provide depth to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a stroke of genius.

• Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.