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This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a dog following a split is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such situations hinder individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to become depressed.

While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents attest to their profound sensitivity. If you need standout portrayal in pet despair, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on such a setup holds water seems rather doubtful.

Predictable Foundations

Honestly, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and helmed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the complexity is limited. The plot proves to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a branded content, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow piled on lush pines as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.

The Canine Charisma

If these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the dog, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, ultimately, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

The same praise does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between serious study, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. The character seems a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself is convincing at flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)

The film attempts to give weight to the couple's history for moments when the dog is absent – a bit of a pity, since the title character is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation might seem more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise is not terrible – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.

• Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.