The Heartwarming Holiday Hit Starring Tom Wozniak and Minka Kelly Promises Laughter, Tears, and Sizzling Chemistry – Critics Call It the Perfect Escape, Fans Can’t Stop Quoting It

 Netflix is serving up a heartwarming, feel-good festive hit that’s already storming the charts and leaving viewers obsessed: Champagne Problems, the new romantic drama starring Slow Horses breakout Tom Wozniak and Ransom Canyon siren Minka Kelly. Dropped on the streamer this Friday amid a sea of holiday fare, the film has surged to No. 1 in the U.S. Top 10 Movies with 28 million hours viewed in 72 hours, outpacing Red One and sparking a frenzy of quotes, swoons, and replay marathons. Critics are calling it “the perfect holiday escape,” a charming, twist-filled romance that blends laughter, tears, and unexpected surprises with the kind of sizzling chemistry that has fans declaring it “the feel-good hit of the year.” Could this be the rom-com that steals Christmas? Click to see why Netflix viewers are raving – and why you won’t be able to look away.

Directed by rising star Lila Byock (Euphoria episodes) and written by Sarah Polley (Women Talking), Champagne Problems follows Nora Hayes (Kelly), a jaded New York event planner whose picture-perfect holiday getaway in the Hudson Valley implodes when her ex-boyfriend (Wozniak) shows up uninvited with his new fiancée in tow. What was meant to be a cozy family reunion turns into a whirlwind of festive faux pas: a botched Secret Santa, a snowed-in cabin showdown, and Nora’s reluctant team-up with her ex’s quirky best man (Freddie Stroma, Bridgerton), a brooding local winemaker who’s equal parts charming and chaotic. As champagne flows and old flames flicker, Nora must confront the “problems” she’s been toasting away – career burnout, unresolved heartbreak, and the fear that true love might just be another holiday myth.

Kelly’s Nora is a revelation – vulnerable yet vivacious, her wide-eyed wonder masking a woman starved for authenticity amid the tinsel. “Nora’s not chasing perfection; she’s chasing possibility,” Kelly told Entertainment Weekly at the premiere, her chemistry with Wozniak crackling like dry firewood. Wozniak, 45, fresh from his Slow Horses triumph as the wry Jackson Lamb, brings brooding intensity to the ex, his rumpled charm curdling into regret as the night unfolds. Stroma’s winemaker adds spark, while a stellar ensemble – including Judy Greer as Nora’s eccentric aunt and a cameo from The Holiday‘s Jude Law as a suave party crasher – elevates the tropes to triumphant.

Byock’s direction bathes the screen in warm golds and twinkling lights, Hudson Valley snowfalls providing a picturesque backdrop that feels both magical and menacing when secrets spill. The soundtrack – a mix of original jingles and classics like “Last Christmas” reimagined with a twist – amps the festive frenzy, while Polley’s script ensures the cheese never curdles, layering rom-com whimsy with poignant insights on second chances. “It’s The Holiday meets While You Were Sleeping with a dash of Elf‘s whimsy,” Variety raved, awarding an A- for “holiday escapism at its sunniest.”

Early reactions are ecstatic. On Netflix’s Tudum, viewers gush: “I ugly-cried over the mistletoe scene – so cheesy, so good!” and “Finished in one sitting – Nora’s jingle meltdown is iconic.” The film has surged to No. 1 in the U.S. Top 10, with 28 million hours viewed, outpacing Single All the Way. TikTok is flooded with “Champagne Problems” challenges, from recreating the snowball fight to lip-syncing Nora’s breakup ballad.

Champagne Problems isn’t just a rom-com – it’s a holiday hug in movie form, reminding us the best Christmases are the messy ones. As Nora toasts in the finale, “To exes, mishaps, and mistletoe – may your holidays be chaotic and full of love.” Stream now. Your watchlist (and heart) will thank you.