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This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a recipe for trouble. Most will argue such situations hinder former couples from healing, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, as a development fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.

Without minimizing the emotional well-being of animals – many owners attest to their profound sensitivity. For a prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water seems debatable at best.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be more profound than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The plot is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including familiar faces – fulfill roles the usual assortment of types. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think fake snow piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for a wintery Boston.

Where the Film Shines

Whether these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between animal action and people's faces, the movie does offer walking sequences, pet moping, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.

The Two-Legged Cast

The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a touch too detached, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)

Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since the title character is undoubtedly the best part of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for the split would feel more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Making a film about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.

• Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.