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This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such arrangements prevent ex-partners from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.

Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains debatable at best.

Predictable Foundations

Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.

The Dog's Domain

Whether these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – those people who seek out for cute animal clips. It provides a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, in the end, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

This level of success cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach vacillates between serious study, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains a very good boy.)

Merv tries to provide depth to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for the split could have been more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Making a film with this canine conflict has potential – though it's hardly a great one either.

• Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.