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It is a common warning in certain circles that jointly caring for a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations impede individuals from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for all parties. Seemingly, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.

Without minimizing the inner life of animals – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. If this concept an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water seems rather doubtful.

Predictable Foundations

Honestly, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. We have here a seasonal offering from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions remains surface-level. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is matched by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – including familiar faces – fulfill roles quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – as seen in flurries clinging to green trees as North Carolina stands in for a cold December city.

The Canine Charisma

If these familiar elements coalesce into an entertaining watch 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 pet content. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is Merv himself, and even if it causes some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.

The Human Element

The same praise cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and physical comedy, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the humiliating and funny demanded of the dog resort scenario. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this ostensibly perfect couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, brings a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her portrayal can feel a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (It should be noted, Merv himself succeeds in acting depressed – he may not be the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely a very good boy.)

Merv tries to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is gentle and pleasant, meeting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.

• Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video this December.