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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 prevent ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Apparently, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.

While respecting the emotional well-being of our pets – many owners speak of their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. If this concept a full holiday film around this situation is sustainable remains debatable at best.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. The plot unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries piled on green trees as a summer location substitutes for a wintery Boston.

The Canine Charisma

How these predictable parts come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.

The Two-Legged Cast

Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, never fully committing to a single genre. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a charming humility that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)

Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that the title character is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.

• Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.