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This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups prevent individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for all parties. Seemingly, as a development worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.

Without minimizing the mental health of animals – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on this conflict is sustainable remains debatable at best.

Predictable Foundations

To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than a light film. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will surely realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.

Where the Film Shines

If these standard ingredients come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.

Where It Wobbles

This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between serious study, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that provides much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)

Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.

• Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.