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It is a widely held belief in certain circles that jointly caring for a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from moving forward, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the dogs themselves to feel down.

Not to downplay the inner life of dogs – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance around this situation is sustainable remains a questionable prospect.

Standard Holiday Fare

Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than its premise. It functions as a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. Its storyline proves to be straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think flurries surrounding green trees as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.

Where the Film Shines

Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – individuals who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a series of scenes focused on the pet. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, pure puppy happiness.

The Two-Legged Cast

The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that supplies much of the film's charm for this ostensibly perfect couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself is convincing at flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)

The story strives to add substance to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their original breakup would feel more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling every expected note. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – though it's not exactly a brilliant concept.

• Merv premieres on the Amazon platform on December 10th.