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This is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such arrangements hinder individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.

Not to downplay the inner life of our pets – countless people observe their profound sensitivity. For a masterclass in dog sorrow, simply recall a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult coping with divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water remains a questionable prospect.

Standard Holiday Fare

To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and directed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than a light film. This is a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries surrounding green trees as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.

The Dog's Domain

If these predictable parts merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the actors' work and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, pet moping, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.

The Human Element

Such effectiveness is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna can feel a touch too detached, especially when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)

The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, considering Merv is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their separation could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but I wouldn't call it a great one either.

• Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.