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It is a widely held belief in certain circles that jointly caring for a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to experience sadness.

Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners observe their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water seems a questionable prospect.

Predictable Foundations

To its credit, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a uplifting getaway to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – played by a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.

The Dog's Domain

If these predictable parts coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (It should be noted, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)

The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.

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