Dennis Quaid has never exactly been a box office fixture or a headlining actor, but he is something arguably more impressive: reliable. Over the past four decades, Quaid has quietly starred in many sports movies, as well as films that straddle genres, always delivering performances grounded in something human, even when the stories around him get strange.
From The Right Stuff to Far From Heaven, Innerspace to The Rookie, Quaid has long specialized in playing men wrestling with failure, pride, or both. While he has had his share of high-profile roles — recently, the actor featured in the body horror hit movie The Substance — many of Quaid’s strongest turns have come in films that slipped past wider attention.
Dennis Quaid’s Broke Is Currently Trending On Netflix
Broke currently sits at No. 3 on Netflix’s most-watched movies in the United States today, just behind the sensational KPop Demon Hunters and new release Fall for Me. The modern Western stars the MCU’s Wyatt Russell as downhearted bronc rider True Brandywine, who becomes trapped in a blizzard, where he must face the choices that brought him there. Quaid plays True’s estranged father, George.
The film was written and directed by Carlyle Eubank and features Russell as a producer. With an impressive 91% Tomatometer, Broke earned praise for its understated storytelling and atmospheric visuals, but failed to rise to notoriety following its video-on-demand release by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on May 6, 2025. Broke premiered on Netflix on August 21, 2025.
Our Take On Broke’s Streaming Success
Considering Broke premiered on Netflix yesterday, it is no surprise that the 2025 film has surged on the streaming site. Broke‘s initial VOD release meant that the modern Western didn’t receive much attention the first time around, so its late-breaking success on streaming is a testament to how modern platforms like Netflix can revive films that might otherwise disappear.
Wyatt Russell follows in his father’s footsteps, and it’s hard not to see a likeness to Kurt Russell’s Western movies, considering the genre. However, it’s Dennis Quaid’s role — a quietly broken man in the shadow of his son — which stands out to me, adding emotional texture. Although Quaid’s performance is not the lead, it’s certainly the soul of the film.
Broke isn’t flashy, loud, or overly revisionist, and that’s its strength. This is a Western that trades gunfights for regret, sweeping panoramas for тιԍнт emotional tension, and archetypes for vulnerability. Therefore, Broke‘s success on streaming is a reminder that there is still a place for slow-burning, character-focused Western movies in a content landscape that is heavily dominated by spectacle.
