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It is a widely held belief for numerous people that co-parenting a dog post-separation is a terrible idea. Most will argue such setups prevent individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.

While respecting the inner life of our pets – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog portrayed by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle coping with split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable remains rather doubtful.

A Familiar Formula

Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth is limited. Its storyline proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will presumably realize the idea that they belong with each other. Side characters – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.

The Canine Charisma

If these standard ingredients merge into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a wealth of scenes focused on the pet. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some stilted moments between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing walking sequences, dog depression, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.

The Human Element

Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. The tone shifts uneasily between serious study, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, failing to master any one mode. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)

The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, given that the title character is by far the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for the split might seem more adult and realistic with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Making a film with this canine conflict isn't a bad idea – even if it's not exactly a stroke of genius.

• Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform this December.