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This is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a canine companion post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations impede ex-partners from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.

Not to downplay the emotional well-being of our pets – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in canine melancholy, consider another performance. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict is sustainable seems debatable at best.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. This is a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity remains surface-level. The plot unfolds as straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate stands in for a cold December city.

The Dog's Domain

Whether these predictable parts coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.

The Human Element

Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The film's approach vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, especially when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself manages flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a very good boy.)

The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a regrettable choice, considering the dog is by far the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split could have been more nuanced with more screen time and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.

• Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th.