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It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a dog following a split is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations impede individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Apparently, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.

Not to downplay the inner life of our pets – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, consider a past film. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. Whether this premise a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.

Standard Holiday Fare

To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity is limited. The plot unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by obvious snow effects piled on verdant foliage as a summer location substitutes for a cold December city.

The Dog's Domain

If these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, dog depression, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.

Where It Wobbles

Such effectiveness does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. This is not 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 offers a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal seems a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a scene-stealer.)

Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, given that Merv is easily the cutest element of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split might seem more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.

• Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.