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It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that co-parenting a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such arrangements prevent individuals from finding closure, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for all parties. As it turns out, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.

Without minimizing the mental health of animals – pet parents observe their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable seems debatable at best.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, never aspires to be deeper than its premise. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. Once there, as expected, they will surely rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow surrounding verdant foliage as North Carolina stands in for the Northeast.

The Dog's Domain

If these familiar elements come together into a pleasant experience 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 scroll endlessly for dog videos. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on walking sequences, pet moping, and, ultimately, doggie joy.

The Human Element

The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between relationship drama, zany antics, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the unusual premise. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still a very good boy.)

The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is by far the cutest element of this film designed for charm. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.

• Merv premieres on the Amazon platform starting December 10.