‘Jingle Bell Heist’: A Christmas Caper That Steals Your Time, Not Your Heart
It’s late November, the temperature has significantly dropped, cars are frosted and frozen in the driveway, and that can only mean one thing: Netflix is dropping its Christmas movies. My holiday film watching begins with Jingle Bell Heist, starring Connor Swindells (Sex Education, The Vanishing), Olivia Holt (Totally Killer), Lucy Punch (Book of Love), and Peter Serafinowicz (The Gentlemen, The Bubble).
Two strangers with desperate motives to achieve financial gain cross paths and decide to partner up to commit a robbery of Sterling’s Department Store in London. As the two learn about each other and why the money is vital to them both, they invest in each other and ultimately “fall in love”.
After watching Jingle Bell Heist, I asked myself a simple question to help understand my feelings about the movie: “Am I now in a Christmas mood after this movie?” The answer, surprisingly, was no. I was left feeling eager to jump to another movie that would actually ignite the festive cheer in my heart.
A Casting Mismatch
First and foremost, the casting choice of Connor Swindells (who plays Nick) was relatively poor. As I saw the trailer start on the Netflix library, I was already apprehensive about this decision. My apprehensions proved to be right. Connor seemed disconnected, unemotive, and lacked character development.
It felt as if Connor’s role as Adam Groff had been lifted from Sex Education and placed into Jingle Bell Heist, causing confusion and disconnection. For Connor Swindells to have worked in this performance, the audience would’ve needed to see a new side of the actor.
Additionally, the connection between Connor and Olivia Holt (who plays Sophia) was unconvincing. The romantic chemistry wasn’t evident, and the pairing didn’t feel authentic. This lack of emotional depth might make viewers feel skeptical about the relationship, as it did with me. “We’re just friends” was the vibe of the partnership. And maybe that’s all it should’ve been. If you’re expecting a warm, festive romance like Elf, this movie might disappoint, as it doesn’t meet those holiday movie standards.
Missing the Holiday Magic
The biggest letdown from Jingle Bell Heist was the complete lack of classic Christmas music. If your aim as a director is to get us viewers into the Christmas spirit, why aren’t you using the songs that a lot of people find irritating but also lovable at the same time? A major faux pas, if you ask me.
However, I must admit that I enjoyed Olivia’s performance as Sophia. She was believable and enjoyable to watch. After looking through her IMDb, it was surprising to see so few roles for someone with her acting ability. I hope to see her in future movies.
There was one beautiful moment in this movie, and it should not be ignored. It’s a moment between Sophia and her mum. I won’t spoil the contents of the moment, but all I will say is that that’s the type of mother we should all aim to be: a mother who ensures that, no matter what is happening to us, our children will always be what’s most important.
Jingle Bell Heist was an attempt to create a different kind of Christmas movie, but unfortunately, it falls flat and is ineffective. If I could give one piece of advice, it would be NOT to start your Christmas movie watch list with this title. The humour is missing, the cheesiness is missing, the connection between the cast is missing, and the Christmas music is missing – so what is provided? Not an awful lot at all.
Final verdict
The Good
- Olivia Holt delivers a believable and enjoyable performance, proving she deserves more leading roles.
- A touching scene between Sophia and her mother offers the film’s only moment of genuine emotion.
The Bad
- Connor Swindells feels miscast and disconnected, essentially replaying his Sex Education character in a setting where it doesn’t fit.
- The romance feels entirely platonic, making the “falling in love” arc unconvincing.
- With no Christmas music and missing humor, the film fails to generate any holiday cheer.
Read More: Jingle Bell Heist Ending Explained