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It is a common warning among many that jointly caring for a canine companion following a split is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.

While respecting the inner life of dogs – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water seems rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a corporate studio – the depth remains surface-level. The plot is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think flurries clinging to verdant foliage as a summer location doubles as the Northeast.

The Canine Charisma

If these familiar elements merge into an entertaining watch depends on the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – individuals who browse regularly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie delivers on walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.

The Two-Legged Cast

Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)

The film attempts to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling every expected note. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.

• Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.