🔗 Share this article

It is a widely held belief among many that sharing custody a pet after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, spark arguments, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. As it turns out, and in a twist worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.

While respecting the mental health of dogs – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in pet despair, simply recall another performance. I firmly believe that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle coping with divided living arrangements. If this concept a feature-length romcom on this conflict holds water is a questionable prospect.

A Familiar Formula

Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims anything more than its premise. We have here a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions is limited. The plot is destined to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – played by a group of comedic actors – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think fake snow clinging to lush pines as North Carolina substitutes for the Northeast.

The Dog's Domain

Whether these standard ingredients merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who scroll endlessly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.

Where It Wobbles

This level of success does not extend for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between emotional depth, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a charming humility that offers much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Anna's portrayer, in her typical fashion, injects a particular brand of eccentricity that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in flopping and whining – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)

Merv tries to add substance to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is by far the best part of this feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, hitting all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting has potential – though I wouldn't call it a great one either.

• Merv streams on the Amazon platform this December.