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It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups hinder former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. Apparently, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.

Not to downplay the inner life of animals – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation holds water is debatable at best.

Standard Holiday Fare

Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by director 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 proves to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects piled on green trees as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.

Where the Film Shines

Whether these familiar elements come together into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for dog videos. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.

Where It Wobbles

Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, not quite landing any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains an excellent dog.)

Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, since Merv is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film with this canine conflict is not terrible – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.

• Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.