Corny Christmas movie tropes strike again in ‘Something from Tiffany’s’

By Cedars A&E Staff

What is it about Hallmark movies and Christmastime? Somehow these inseparable elements of American media and culture are inextricably linked. Despite all the groans and the giggles about the cheesy, Christmas romances, we see them appear again and again. 

This year, Amazon Prime Video released “Something from Tiffany’s,” a not-too-sappy, guilty pleasure Christmas movie. The movie is based on a book of the same name written by Melissa Hill and published in 2011. 

Although I was bracing myself for the worst, I have to admit that it isn’t your average “baker falls in love with dreamy author” trope. It was pretty close, but with a few surprising twists and turns along the way. 

The film follows the story of Rachel Meyer, played by Zoey Deutch and the funny and awkward consequences of an accidental Christmas gift mix-up. Unbeknownst to Rachel, her boyfriend Gary, played by Ray Nicholson has accidentally swapped packages from Tiffany’s, the luxurious New York jewelry company, with a stranger. This lands Rachel with an engagement ring her boyfriend never bought, and Ethan Greene, played by Kendrick Sampson, with a pair of earrings instead of an engagement ring.

In an elaborate plot to get the ring back, Ethan realizes that Rachel’s boyfriend has proposed to her using the ring that was intended for his own girlfriend. What starts as an accident quickly spirals out of control and becomes a pretense for more lies and deception on the part of Gary. 

The drama continues as the ring is returned and more secrets are revealed about Rachel’s boyfriend. He is promptly dumped, and in the midst of her heartbreak, Ethan acknowledges his true feelings for Rachel. Cue the romantic Christmas tunes. 

Along the way, Rachel and Ethan share stories from their past that are inspiring and heartwarming. Rachel’s career in the restaurant industry includes a bankrupting failure and her current success inspires Ethan to give writing another try as he works on his second book. 

One of the first things I noticed about the film was the range of diversity that the cast reflected. New York City is known for the range of cultures and people groups represented and this movie captures some of the spirit of that. 

I do really appreciate the dynamic between Ethan and his daughter Daisy, played by Leah Jeffries. It was touching to see the widower father and motherless daughter bond throughout the movie. It also opens up opportunities for a few heartwarming moments for characters to share their experiences with grieving over losing loved ones. 

I am not going to pretend that this was an artistic masterpiece, but it was a lighthearted Christmas film. It was not excellently executed. It was very forgettable, but it was also a cute holiday film. 

Be warned, this ring makes it through three proposals in one movie, and one proposal includes the ring baked into a loaf of bread. The movie moves at a head-spinning pace that does not allow for very much character development. 

If you manage to watch the movie all the way through, the “One Year Later” scene was a favorite of mine, but I don’t think that one scene makes up for all of the screen time it took to get there.

It also bears mentioning that the movie contains a surprising amount of profanity, some revealing outfits, one lesbian couple, and two heterosexual couples that cohabit. Parents who may be uncomfortable with any of these elements may want to skip this film for family movie night. 

If you are willing to brave the silly plot, poor dialogue and incredibly stereotypical characters, I think that this is a fun movie. However, if you’re looking for something a little more classic, this is a great movie to skip watching altogether. You’re not missing out on anything. 

“Something from Tiffany’s” is now streaming on Prime Video

Images courtesy of Amazon Prime Video