Dennis Quaid’s new Christmas dog movie just became Netflix’s No. 1 film

Quick one for dog film aficionados and anyone tracking Dennis Quaid’s run on Netflix: the bloke’s at it again. After turning up earlier this year in the action flick War Machine (yes, that Alan Ritchson thing that pretty much took over Netflix’s Top 10 for weeks), Quaid’s swapped mercenaries for puppies. His latest, A Dog's Perfect Christmas, is out now on Netflix — and it’s gone straight to number one.

This film landed on 4 November, and to be honest, it’s practically engineered for seasonal chart domination: bereaved granddad, family tension, hospital drama, and of course, a photogenic Corgi called Ruby who becomes the household’s emotional glue. One for people who wish more Christmas films had livestock, really.

A Dog's Perfect Christmas jumped to number one on Netflix’s Top 10 within days of release, pulling in 8.6 million views and 14.5 million hours watched during just its first four days.

The Film (and That Cast List)

Here’s the breakdown: Dennis Quaid plays Sander Goss, a widower barely keeping it together. Life’s dealt him a rough hand — he’s burned through his savings on medical bills, so now he’s bunking with his grown-up son’s family. Sander’s temperament (let’s just call him “difficult”) is not exactly what you want around a teenage granddaughter (Brooke Lena Johnson’s Ello). The good news? There’s a new puppy. The bad news? Sander’s daughter-in-law (Kathleen Rose Perkins) lands in an induced coma, so spirits drop off a cliff anyway.

Ello, clearly wise to the emotional game, brings home a Corgi called Ruby. Between Ruby’s waggy tail and the family’s old basset hound, Winston (voiced by Thomas Haden Church), there are attempts to restore sanity and goodwill to the Goss household. Rounding out this canine-assisted cast: Milo Ventimiglia, Mary Steenburgen, and Jennifer Tilly. Yes, it’s essentially a Christmas movie made to be consumed in pyjamas with a biscuit tin nearby.

Is This Actually a Sequel?

Here’s where it gets a bit confusing for anyone who’s lost track of all the dog films Dennis Quaid has done. A Dog's Perfect Christmas was penned by W. Bruce Cameron (also the author behind A Dog’s Purpose and A Dog’s Journey, both previously starring Quaid), but despite the branding, this isn’t a sequel. There’s no plot connection — just the same author, the same actor, and roughly similar themes about animals bonding with sad humans. That’s your Venn diagram, right there.

People seem to love it — or at least the sort of people who leave Rotten Tomatoes audience scores. It’s sitting at a sprightly 95% approval with viewers. If you ask critics? It’s a solid bah humbug. The critical Metacritic-style average is down at 33%, so… not exactly chasing awards season.

1. Release date: 4 November
2. Star: Dennis Quaid (Sander Goss)
3. Puppy: Ruby the Corgi
4. Basset hound: Winston (Thomas Haden Church, voice)
5. Supporting: Brooke Lena Johnson, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Milo Ventimiglia, Mary Steenburgen, Jennifer Tilly
6. Writer: W. Bruce Cameron
7. First 4 days: 8.6 million views, 14.5 million hours watched
8. Rotten Tomatoes audience: 95%
9. Critics: 33%

If you’re wondering, viewers online have declared this a 'soon-to-be Christmas classic' and the 'best movie I have seen in a long time.' The critics are much less invested, with The Times of India pointing out it's a 'glossy but emotionally inconsistent holiday offering,' and Loud and Clear Reviews saying the good vibes 'aren’t quite enough to make this worth your time.' It’s the classic audience-critics split, only fluffier and with more dog hair everywhere.