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It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a dog post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such situations hinder ex-partners from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance across the board. Apparently, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause our furry friends to feel down.

Not to downplay the emotional well-being of animals – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in dog sorrow, consider another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle coping with life in two homes. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.

A Familiar Formula

Honestly, Merv, written by its screenwriters and directed by Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. Its storyline is destined to be uncomplicated: exes Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is matched by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries surrounding lush pines as a summer location stands in for a wintery Boston.

The Canine Charisma

Whether these standard ingredients come together into a pleasant experience depends on the actors' work and an acceptance of comfort viewing. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for cute animal clips. The film delivers a plethora of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.

Where It Wobbles

Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, predictable love story, and outright slapstick, failing to master a consistent feel. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. He brings a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her Anna comes across as a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he remains a scene-stealer.)

The story strives to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, considering Merv is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their separation would feel more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Creating a movie with this canine conflict is not terrible – even if I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.

• Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform starting December 10.