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It is a common warning for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is a recipe for trouble. Experts frequently claim such arrangements impede former couples from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to become depressed.

Without minimizing the inner life of dogs – pet parents attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. The idea of basing an entire Christmas romance on this conflict works effectively remains debatable at best.

Standard Holiday Fare

Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of the writing duo and helmed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than what it is. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries clinging to green trees as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.

Where the Film Shines

How these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch depends on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who scroll endlessly for dog videos. The film delivers a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, in the end, doggie joy.

The Two-Legged Cast

This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. Its style vacillates between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a little too aloof, especially when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)

Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since the title character is by far the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for the split could have been more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.

• Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video this December.