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This is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion following a split is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such situations impede individuals from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.

While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents observe their profound sensitivity. To witness a standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look another performance. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.

Standard Holiday Fare

To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.

The Dog's Domain

If these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.

The Two-Legged Cast

Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The film's approach shifts uneasily between relationship drama, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a charming humility that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna seems a touch too detached, notably when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself is convincing at acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)

The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that the dog is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a great one either.

• Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.