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It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that sharing custody a pet following a split is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.

Not to downplay the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to split households. If this concept a full holiday film around this situation holds water seems rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

Honestly, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity are modest. The narrative proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow clinging to green trees as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.

Where the Film Shines

Whether these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie does offer canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.

Where It Wobbles

Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself is convincing at flopping and whining – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely an excellent dog.)

The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that the dog is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's not exactly a brilliant concept.

• Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.