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It is a widely held belief in certain circles that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups hinder former couples from healing, create logistical nightmares, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to experience sadness.

While respecting the mental health of dogs – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in pet despair, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to split households. The idea of basing a full holiday film on such a setup is sustainable is rather doubtful.

Predictable Foundations

To its credit, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. The narrative proves to be simple and direct: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, decide on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries clinging to verdant foliage as North Carolina doubles as a cold December city.

Where the Film Shines

If these standard ingredients merge into an entertaining watch hinges on the strength of the performances and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.

The Two-Legged Cast

This level of success cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and physical comedy, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the humiliating and funny demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a charming humility that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will click for some but not others. The character can feel a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (On another note, Gus the Dog is convincing at acting depressed – not quite Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely an excellent dog.)

The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since the dog is by far the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for the split could have been more adult and realistic with less exposition and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film on this shared-custody premise isn't a bad idea – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.

• Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.