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It is a widely held belief in certain circles that co-parenting a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to experience sadness.

Without minimizing the inner life of animals – many owners speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable remains rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than a light film. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The plot is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow surrounding green trees as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.

The Canine Charisma

If these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable rests upon the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.

The Two-Legged Cast

Such effectiveness does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)

Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.

• Merv premieres on the Amazon platform starting December 10.