Netflix's 2025 Christmas Heist Movie Is Also The Perfect Rom-Com For The Holiday Season

The holiday season is once again upon us, and that means it's time for Kevin McCallister, The Grinch, and Buddy the Elf to dominate screens for the next month. Sometimes, though, you just want some alternative Christmas movies to mix things up, and if that's you, "Jingle Bell Heist" is a solid choice. In a year full of romantic comedies, Netflix is finishing 2025 strong with this festive film that, like so much of the romance fare that's hit streamers recently, sees an American woman fall in love with a dashing stranger. But there's enough here to make "Jingle Bell Heist" distinct from other recent hit romantic comedies, as evidenced by the reviews, which are a lot stronger than you might think.

At first glance, the film seems like the product of whatever algorithm Netflix uses to plan its programming — the result of some nefarious AI suggesting the perfect mix of metric-backed genres in the form of a comedy caper set at Christmas with some romance thrown in. But the story actually came from author and screenwriter Abby McDonald, who, aside from having published a series of novels, previously worked as a staff writer on "Bridgerton." Now, she's penned a Christmas romance that sat on the 2022 Black List before being produced, and which sees a department store worker team up with an ex-con to rob her place of work and maybe even find love in the process.

Will "Jingle Bell Heist" be remembered as one of the best Christmas movies of all time? Probably not, but it's a perfectly entertaining and surprisingly solid festive feature that certainly won't sour your Christmas cheer.

"Jingle Bell Heist" is directed by Michael Fimognari, who, aside from being Mike Flanagan's long-time director of photography, was also the cinematographer on the gold standard of teen rom-coms, "To All the Boys I've Loved Before." Now, he's in the director's chair for another romance story. This one plays out not in the Pacific Northwest but in London, where Olivia Holt's Sophie Arbus is working two jobs to keep herself afloat and support her sick mother, who requires an experimental treatment for her cancer. One of Sophie's jobs is at a department store, where the unscrupulous boss is in need of a moral realignment, and what better way to set things right than by stealing a fortune from his office safe?

It helps that Sophie is a pickpocket, but to pull off this job, she needs help from the man who originally installed the security cameras at the store, who also happens to be a lonesome heartthrob in the form of Connor Swindells' Nick. The ex-con is desperately trying to maintain a relationship with his daughter while his ex threatens to move to a new city, which means he needs money and stability quickly. Sophie and Nick form an alliance to pull off their Christmas heist and, of course, develop feelings along the way.

Unlike the hit Netflix romantic drama "My Oxford Year" (with its controversial ending) and Prime Video's almost identical "The Map that Leads to You," "Jingle Bell Heist" doesn't feature a female lead torn between corporate drudgery and following her passion. Sure, Sophie needs Nick's help, but she's perfectly self-possessed before meeting the ex-con. As such, "Jingle Bell Heist" is a fundamentally different story from the aforementioned romance hits, and the critics have taken note.

The story of two strangers teaming up to rob one of London's biggest department stores before falling in love has fared surprisingly well critically. Again, the movie initially seems like yet another cookie-cutter rom-com (which isn't necessarily a bad thing if you can enjoy such movies for what they are). But as The Guardian's Benjamin Lee writes, "a game cast and some decent twists help to elevate this passably entertaining London-set Christmas offering." Meanwhile, in his review for The Wrap, William Bibbiani praised the rom-com as being "not just good for a Netflix holiday rom-com" but "actually good!"

So far, viewers certainly seem to agree. "Jingle Bell Heist" hit Netflix on November 26, 2025, making it a perfect Christmas movie to watch during Thanksgiving. But it looks set to see its biggest success in the wake of Turkey Day. According to streaming viewership tracker FlixPatrol became an instant hit. The film charted in 89 countries the day after it debuted, with that number rising to 92 the following day. At the time of writing, "Jingle Bell Heist" is number one in 64 countries, making it a certified streaming hit in a year already replete with rom-com success.

So, if you want some romance with your Christmas movie selection, "Jingle Bell Heist" is a surprisingly solid option that's worth checking out if you were previously tempted to skip over what looks like yet another generic streaming movie. Otherwise, it's worth consulting /Film's list of the best Christmas rom-coms.