An adorable yet mischievous twelve-year-old boy lives at an orphanage. Two days before Christmas, alone in the woods, Max meets a large talking dog named Hercules. The dog explains to Max that he makes the naughty and nice list for Santa and he was sent to offer Max a chance at the nice list. Max takes a magical ride to the North Pole and appears before Santa in his courtroom run by elves. Hercules successfully acts as Max's attorney.