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This is a widely held belief among many that jointly caring for a pet after a breakup is a terrible idea. Most will argue such setups impede ex-partners from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying for all parties. Seemingly, and in a twist fit for a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to become depressed.

While respecting the mental health of animals – many owners observe their remarkable empathy. To witness a standout portrayal in dog sorrow, one need only look a past film. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to life in two homes. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable seems a questionable prospect.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, written by the writing duo and helmed by director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than a light film. This is a holiday release from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. The film's look carries the feel of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow clinging to green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.

The Canine Charisma

How these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch rests upon the actors' work and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. Regarding the second aspect, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for dog videos. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and while this leads to some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie does offer walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.

Where It Wobbles

This level of success does not extend for the human side of the story. The tone wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the dog resort scenario. He brings a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. The character comes across as a bit too dry, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a very good boy.)

Merv tries to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since Merv is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The cause for the split could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – but I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.

• Merv premieres on Amazon Prime Video this December.