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It is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements prevent individuals from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the canine in question to become depressed.

While respecting the mental health of dogs – pet parents speak of their profound sensitivity. For a standout portrayal in pet despair, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog portrayed by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time adapting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup works effectively remains debatable at best.

A Familiar Formula

Fairness demands noting, Merv, written by its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, makes no grand claims more profound than what it is. We have here a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the depth are modest. Its storyline unfolds as straightforward: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries piled on green trees as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.

Where the Film Shines

How these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable hinges on the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. The film delivers a plethora 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 people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.

The Two-Legged Cast

The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward inherent in the bizarre setting. He brings a charming humility that supplies a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Her co-star Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a particular brand of eccentricity 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, Merv himself manages acting depressed – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a very good boy.)

Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, since Merv is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their separation would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – but it's hardly a stroke of genius.

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