Every day, we cut through the bottomless list of streaming options and recommend something to watch. See all our Netflix movie of the day picks, or our Prime Video movie of the day choices.
If you're not responsible for small people then Paw Patrol: The Movie is not one of the best Netflix movies. But if you are in charge of little ones then you'll know how beloved Ryder and the pups are among preschoolers. That means this is a guaranteed kid-pleaser that will give you a break for an hour or so, making it a much better film than Citizen Kane.
Some people really, really hate Paw Patrol. As a parent of two kids, I am not one of those people. The show was a big favorite for both of my kids for a long time and it gave me the greatest gift a parent of young children could possibly ask for (other than more sleep): time to catch up on stuff, whether that was tidying, using the toilet without an audience or just getting twenty minutes on my phone.
As with the show, the plot here isn't particularly in-depth: there's a mayor making a mess, which means Ryder and his fellow pups have to save the day. That's all we need for the pups to spring into action, working together to solve problems in that familiar wholesome way, and for you to get some time on your phone while the little ones are distracted.
That sounds like I'm damning it with faint praise, and I'm really not. Paw Patrol is funny and goofy – which is why my kids loved it – and while of course there's the inevitable range of spin-off products in the shops the show, unlike many kids' cartoons, isn't constantly trying to sell them to you. It has a nice message at its heart and the movie even manages to introduce kids to the idea of mental health issues in a sensitive and age-appropriate way.
As Common Sense Media put it: "These adorable, selfless rescue pups are irresistible to preschoolers, who will be delighted by the movie's sweet, simple adventure". And ABC Radio put it well: "More ambitious but fundamentally the same show the kids have always loved, Paw Patrol gets a big-screen update worthy of putting on the big screen."
