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This is a common warning in certain circles that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations impede ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development fit for a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.

Not to downplay the mental health of animals – countless people attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in dog sorrow, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with life in two homes. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively remains rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects surrounding verdant foliage as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.

The Dog's Domain

How these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who seek out for pet content. The film delivers a series of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and human reaction, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.

The Human Element

Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between serious study, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. No blame falls on the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a very good boy.)

Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is easily the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The cause for their original breakup might seem more adult and realistic with less exposition and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise has potential – though I wouldn't call it a great one either.

• Merv streams on Prime Video starting December 10.