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This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a pet post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations impede individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to feel down.

Without minimizing the inner life of animals – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need masterclass in dog sorrow, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable remains debatable at best.

A Familiar Formula

Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. The narrative is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.

The Canine Charisma

How these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and even if it causes some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.

Where It Wobbles

This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between serious study, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, the canine performer manages acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)

Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since the dog is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The cause for their original breakup would feel more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a great one either.

• Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.