While December hasn't even arrived, British Netflix subscribers are already celebrating what they're calling one of the finest Christmas films in recent memory. The streaming giant's latest festive offering, Champagne Problems, has captured hearts worldwide since its release last Wednesday, quickly becoming a global phenomenon.
Record-Breaking Success
In its first few days available, the romantic comedy attracted a staggering 20.5 million views, immediately shooting to the number one spot on Netflix's global charts. The film outperformed major releases including Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, the family animation In Your Dreams, and international sensation KPop Demon Hunters.
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson, Champagne Problems follows executive Sydney Price, played by Minka Kelly of Friday Night Lights fame, as she travels to Paris to acquire a champagne brand for her company before Christmas. After promising her sister she'll take one night off, Sydney enjoys a magical evening with a charming local, portrayed by Tom Wozniczka, only to discover the next morning that he's the son of the vineyard owner she's trying to purchase.
Audience Reactions Overwhelm Social Media
Viewers have taken to social media platforms to express their enthusiasm for the festive film. Jack Turner declared on X: 'Champagne Problems on Netflix has to be one of the best Christmas movies I've seen in a long time. Absolutely loved it.'
Another fan, @lilmomma75710, shared: '#ChampagneProblems was such a beautiful movie. I laughed, cried, and laughed some more!! This is my favourite Christmas movie so far this year.'
Even viewers who typically avoid Christmas films found themselves converted. Liv admitted: 'I'm not really into Christmas movies, but I'm into whatever Minka Kelly is on so I just watched #ChampagneProblems on Netflix and absolutely LOVED it.'
Critical Reception and Future Releases
The positive response extended to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, where the film earned a fresh score of 61% from audiences and an even more impressive 69% from critics. These ratings are particularly notable within Netflix's original rom-com catalogue, significantly outperforming similar films like My Oxford Year (29%) and A Merry Little Ex-Mas (35%).
David A. encapsulated the general sentiment, writing: 'This film had no right being this adorable and romantic and genuinely funny in places. Is a Christmas rom-com that delivers far and beyond. LOVE it.'
While the majority of feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, some dissenting voices emerged. Howard R. commented: 'It's what you'd expect from an ultra-light rom-com set in Paris at Christmas time. Not much,' while Phil H. criticised the film's plot and chemistry.
Netflix continues to expand its holiday programming with additional festive rom-coms Jingle Bell Heist and My Secret Santa scheduled for release ahead of Christmas this year.
Champagne Problems, featuring a supporting cast including Thibault de Montalembert, Sean Amsing, Flula Borg, Astrid Whettnall and Xavier Samuel, is available to stream exclusively on Netflix now.
