Charming blend of holiday spirit and heist adventure

IT’S that time of the year again, the season of twinkly lights, Mariah Carey resurfacing like it’s her annual national service, and of course, corny Christmas movies that melt our hearts.

- BERNELEE VOLLMER

And listen, The Jingle Bell Heist fits right into that tradition. It’s the kind of film you curl up with on the couch, pretending it’s snowing outside even though it’s 32°C, you're sweating through your pyjamas, and the only “cold front” is the one Eskom forgot to schedule.

But hey, hot cocoa in hand, fan blasting, we move.

From the opening scenes, the film serves warm, festive energy that feels oddly comforting. And because no Christmas flick is complete without a bit of crime, think Wet Bandits in Home Alone and, hello, or the Grinch with the sticky fingers, this movie leans right into that tradition.

Our duo of lovable troublemakers are Sophie (Olivia Holt) and Nick (Connor Swindells), two down-on-their-luck retail workers whose lives have been shaped by circumstance, bad luck, and employers who don't even hide their “we don’t pay you enough for this” energy.

Sophie, a sales associate at Sterling’s Department Store, is out here juggling magic tricks learned from her grandfather and transforming them into nifty pick-pocketing skills.