Christmas is less than a month away and I’m usually game only for my classic seasonal favorites.
However, Netflix released “Jingle Bell Heist” last week and I opted to see if it would inspire me to start putting up decorations sooner rather than later.
I found the movie to be fairly decent at holding my attention despite some of the over-the-top acting and cringe-worthy heist snafus.
I’m not sure if it was because of my past PTSD as a retail worker, but I could easily see how such a heist plan could be concocted amidst the stressful holiday season.
The main characters are likeable enough and they’re struggling dealing with real world problems that only seem to compound during Christmas festivities, so, you feel for them in short order – plus I was rooting for them from the get-go!
Heist is an American Christmas romantic comedy film directed by Michael Fimognari, written by Abby McDonald, and starring Olivia Holt, Connor Swindells, Lucy Punch, Natasha Joseph, Ed Kear, and Peter Serafinowicz.
The movie is 96 minutes long and rated TV-14 for language and alcohol use – which is basically the same as PG-13.
Sophie Arbus (Holt) works two jobs to support herself and her sick mother Rita (Joseph), who is undergoing a cancer treatment.
She is also a pick-pocket, and occasionally steals cash from time to time.
While working her job at department store Sterlings, Sophie steals a diamond encrusted dog collar from a rude customer.
She drops it off in the store’s vaulted security section for high-end products.
There, Sophie steals some petty cash, and eyes the other expensive jewelry being kept in a secured cage.
A man named Nick O’Connor (Swindells) watches Sophie do this via the Sterlings security video feed.
It’s later revealed that he installed this security camera system himself, and still has access to the video.
Unfortunately, he was fired, not paid for his job, and ended up pleading guilty to stealing from the store.
Having spent two years in prison, he is now struggling to find a place of his own to live, and maintain a relationship with his young daughter Maddie and ex-wife.
Nick pays Sophie a visit at work and using the footage of her stealing cash, he blackmails her into helping him rob the Sterlings security locker.
Sophie resists at first, but after a doctor informs her that her mom needs an expensive, out-of-pocket treatment to get better, she agrees.
The two carry out a plan to rob the security locker, but when they get there, they find the jewelry has already been stolen by someone else.
Unfortunately, the theft is pinned on innocent security guard Eddie Morris (Kear) and the man gets fired immediately.
The next day at work, Sophie overhears a co-worker say that Sterling keeps $500,000 in cash in his personal safe in his office.
She proposes to Nick that they try to steal the cash instead – even though that’s a much more complicated process.
Overall, the romance aspect of the film is vague at best but I’m glad for the happy ending.
Plus, there’s an adorable post-credit scene that paints a picturesque holiday celebration for everyone!
