The only reason I decided to watch this Netflix film, Jingle Bell Heist, was I needed to have a Christmas movie for the Year in Review.

Who would have guessed, but I really liked this movie.

According to IMDB, “At the height of the holiday season, two strangers team up to rob one of London’s most famous department stores while accidentally falling in love.“

I found this charming and fun. However, more than that, I found this one to be written extremely well. There were a couple of twists that happened in the film that I did not see coming and that was unexpected.

Olivia Holt played Sophia and Connor Swindells played Nick. The had chemistry with one another and, even though they were always going to be the pair that falls in love in this Christmas rom-com, they were quirky enough to stand out from the typical couple in these Christmas movies.

The film moved well, flowing from one scene to the next. It did not overstay its welcome and I would think this is an exceptional film to watch during the holiday season.

Peter Serafinowicz played the rich and crooked Maxwell Sterling. As a villain, Serafinowicz was basically one note, but there was enough from him to help us understand how rotten a person he was. Lucy Punch played Sterling’s wife, Cynthia, in a fun, albeit small, part. Though it was small, it was very impactful.

I was pleased that the first Christmas film I watched for the Year in Review turned out to be a extremely solid one. If this turns out to be the only Christmas movie I get to see this year, it is nice to know that I have seen a good one.

3.8 stars