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It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.

Not to downplay the inner life of animals – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. For a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom on this conflict works effectively is rather doubtful.

Standard Holiday Fare

Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions is limited. Its storyline is destined to be simple and direct: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look is reminiscent of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – exemplified by flurries piled on lush pines as a summer location stands in for a cold December city.

The Dog's Domain

How these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who seek out for dog videos. Audiences receive a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and even if it causes some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

The same praise is not earned for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between emotional depth, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, notably when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a scene-stealer.)

Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, considering the title character is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for the split would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, meeting every expected note. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.

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