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It is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such setups hinder individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.

While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents observe their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film around this situation holds water is debatable at best.

Predictable Foundations

Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries piled on green trees as North Carolina substitutes for a wintery Boston.

The Canine Charisma

How these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who seek out for pet content. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

Such effectiveness is not earned for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)

The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation could have been more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though it's not exactly a great one either.

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