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It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that jointly caring for a pet post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such setups hinder ex-partners from moving forward, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, and in a twist fit for a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the canine in question to experience sadness.

While respecting the inner life of our pets – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. For a masterclass in pet despair, simply recall recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by a talented dog named Gus, would find it difficult adjusting to split households. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom around this situation is sustainable seems debatable at best.

A Familiar Formula

To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than its premise. This is a seasonal offering from a corporate studio – the complexity are modest. Its storyline is destined to be straightforward: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including familiar faces – are crafted as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think fake snow surrounding lush pines as a warm climate stands in for the Northeast.

The Canine Charisma

If these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv knows its audience – those people who browse regularly for cute animal clips. It provides a series of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is Merv himself, and while this leads to some stilted moments between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, canine sorrow, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.

The Two-Legged Cast

This level of success cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. The film's approach wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. This is not Charlie Cox, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny required by the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that provides the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, as is her trademark, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will be to your taste or not. The character comes across as a touch too detached, especially when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (On another note, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he is still a scene-stealer.)

The film attempts to add substance to the central romance for scenes without their pet – which is unfortunate, since the dog is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The cause for the split could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, hitting every expected note. Crafting a story with this canine conflict has potential – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.

• Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.