Un robo muy navideño

I was expecting Hallmark level fluff but this movie actually had a decent plot and interesting characters. It won't knock your stockings off, but it's a nice way to pass an evening leading up to Christmas.

The story reveals itself gradually with a few plot twists that, in retrospect, were satisfyingly predictable, leaving you to feel that everything was tidily wrapped up with a big bow.

Jingle Bell Heist is a harmless piece of Netflix content that's designed to be enjoyable in an undemanding fashion. It's got enough festive charm and high stakes heists to sustain a thankfully short 94 minute run time with a satisfying ending to ensure the film is actually worth committing to. It's a simple story of well deserved revenge involving stealing from the rich to give to those who need it.

Olivia Holt and Connor Swindells are a good pairing who have a cute chemistry. They both get an introduction which makes them feel very cynical and deliberately similar in their experiences but there's thankfully more to it that's gradually revealed, making them increasingly empathetic. Peter Serafinowicz makes his one note villain suitably despicable without a lot of screen time.

Acting as both director & cinematographer, Michael Fimognari gets the job done with the standard issue streaming construction where everything is visually flat and overly lit in places. There's the odd bit of life in the camerawork and Jeffrey M. Werner's editing has a few transitions which gives it some extra life. Steve Hackman's playful score sounds the part despite the odd misstep.

This film is definitely worth a watch.

I was not expecting much from this, thinking it was going to be a generic Christmas caper cum love story.

However, it is actually really well written and has plenty of surprises and plot twists with a satisfying and wholesome ending.

The two leads are great with genuine chemistry and the pace is just right so there are no flat spots.

Give it a try.

My wife and I are retired so we watch movies at home regularly. Not so much looking for some new GREAT movie but just to be entertained between the end of the 6PM nightly news and our 10PM bedtime.

We came upon this one streaming on NFLX, it seemed lightweight and interesting. When it was over we both said "Better than I expected" and that is always a bonus.

American actress Olivia Holt, former gymnast, is Sophia. Her mother is British but after Sophia was born they were forced to move to the US and she grew up there with her grandfather. Her mother now has become very ill so they moved back to London for the free health care. Problem is the waiting list for a suitable physician is long and they need cash to afford a private physician.

She has a chance encounter with Connor Swindells as Nick, looking him up she finds he had served a couple of years jail time for a heist, this is her opportunity. Pair with a thief to steal a large amount of cash from the owner of the department store she works at.

On the surface it would seem the two of them are just petty crooks, how can we root for them? As the story develops we learn that not everything is so simple, and maybe in the end they are actually doing the right thing.

For this type of movie it has a few novel ideas and it is well made. Shot in the London area.

Sophia works two jobs to make ends meet, her mother is sick in hospital, and she gets by by pinching. Nick, a former employee at Sterlings department store, has access to the cameras, spots Sophia pinching, and makes her an offer.

It's very likeable - a definite mix of genres: part crime caper, part seasonal romance, part comedy, and there's just enough to tug at the heartstrings too.

It's a British Christmas film, so there's a faint whiff of cynicism. Sometimes you need a festive film that isn't quite Hallmark, and all its syrupy charm. Don't get me wrong, it's goofy, but even the outlandish Sterlings are grounded.

I love the idea of a chic UK department store, where all the glamorous assistants wore neckerchiefs. Sadly, those days ended with Thatcherism, although it is short-staffed, so that rings true. It's like an export version of Britain, with dry martinis and tuxedos - but it works.

Olivia Holt and Connor Swindells were a cracking duo, combining so well. Not your usual Christmas movie hires - two people who don't feel as if they're living inside a snow globe. Lucy Punch knows how to give us a spoilt princess, but this one has a twist.

Heart and humour - this one's a cut above the usual selection of festive flicks.

8/10.