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It is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a pet post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations impede former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, as a development worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.

While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water seems debatable at best.

Standard Holiday Fare

Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in obvious snow effects clinging to verdant foliage as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.

The Dog's Domain

How these predictable parts merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – individuals who scroll endlessly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between serious study, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)

Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split would feel more adult and realistic with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, meeting every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though it's hardly a brilliant concept.

• Merv streams on Prime Video this December.