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It is a widely held belief among many that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is ill-advised. Most will argue such situations hinder individuals from healing, create logistical nightmares, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating for all parties. As it turns out, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.

Without minimizing the inner life of animals – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, consider a past film. There is little doubt that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water seems debatable at best.

Standard Holiday Fare

Honestly, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think obvious snow effects piled on lush pines as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.

The Dog's Domain

How these predictable parts merge into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and an acceptance of easy entertainment. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who seek out for pet content. Audiences receive a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, doggie joy.

The Two-Legged Cast

Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. He brings a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. The character seems a bit too dry, particularly when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, Gus the Dog succeeds in flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)

The story strives to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, since the dog is undoubtedly the best part of this film designed for charm. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their separation could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – though it's hardly a stroke of genius.

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