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This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a dog following a split is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such situations hinder individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to become depressed.

Without minimizing the mental health of our pets – countless people speak of their profound sensitivity. For a standout portrayal in pet despair, consider recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation works effectively remains a questionable prospect.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth are modest. The plot is destined to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – played by familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – think fake snow clinging to lush pines as a summer location stands in for a cold December city.

The Canine Charisma

How these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. The film delivers a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, dog depression, and, finally, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and physical comedy, failing to master a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a bit too dry, particularly when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a scene-stealer.)

The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The reason for the split could have been more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.

• Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.