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It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations impede former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, 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.

While respecting the emotional well-being of dogs – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a masterclass in canine melancholy, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult coping with split households. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively seems a questionable prospect.

Standard Holiday Fare

Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. It functions as a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will presumably realize the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by obvious snow effects clinging to green trees as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.

The Dog's Domain

If these standard ingredients coalesce into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.

The Two-Legged Cast

This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – he may not be a canine thespian of that caliber, he remains an excellent dog.)

The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since Merv is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, meeting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.

• Merv streams on the Amazon platform on December 10th.