Something From Tiffany’s Review: Elegantly Charming

There’s something that sets a mediocre holiday movie apart from a good holiday movie, and that something is production value. Prime Video’s latest, Something From Tiffany’s elevates the holiday genre with a sweet rom-com mix-up.

The film, adapted from a novel by Melissa Hill, is produced by Hello Sunshine, aka Reese Witherspoon’s tv/film production company. It’s fitting given Witherspoon’s work with Reese’s Book Club and showcasing the work of female authors.

With star power behind the scenes, it’s not surprising that the film feels more “high-budget” than your typical holiday movie. I’d even go as far as to say that Something From Tiffany’s has all of the pieces for a decent theatrical run, had Amazon chosen that route.

The locations in the film heighten the story. With so many of the scenes filmed on-site, it’s easy to immerse yourself in this world. It’s even easier to get in the holiday spirit with New York decked out for the holidays.

The charm of this movie is that it’s clearly a holiday movie, not a Christmas movie. Zoey Deutch’s character, Rachel, notes right away that she’s actually Jewish, and it’s great to see her and her boyfriend Gary celebrate Chrismukkah morning. 

Rather than focusing on just one holiday, Something From Tiffany’s focuses on the holiday spirit and is about the joy of the holidays in general.

It might be one of the only movies that takes place in that liminal space between Christmas and New Year’s. With all of the chaos that ensues, it’s actually a perfect representation of that week at the end of the year.

The story itself isn’t all that unique. A gift switch-up has definitely been done before, the stakes are slightly higher in Something From Tiffany’s. When one gift is a Tiffany & Co. engagement ring, and the other is a pair of earrings, it’s not a “no harm, no foul” situation. 

The cast and their performances set this film apart from run-of-the-mill holiday movies. Zoey Deutch is no stranger to romance having starred in Netflix’s Set It Up, one of the best rom-coms of the decade.

She excels in these roles, finding chemistry with any of her scene partners. Insecure‘s Kendrick Sampson is a perfect example. The duo is effortlessly charming and easy to root for, even when they’re with different partners.

That being said, I would have been satisfied with the story even if Sampson’s Ethan and Deutch’s Rachel were destined to just be friends. Pretty Little Liars‘ Shay Mitchell and Panic‘s Ray Nicholson dig their chops into wonderful supporting characters.

Mitchell’s Vanessa is a likable “other woman.” It’s hard to root against her and Ethan when they complement each other so well. Nothing against Rachel, and not to say Zoey wasn’t the perfect casting for the role, but she seems too young for Ethan, especially since he’s a father.

Leah Jeffries as Daisy, Ethan’s daughter, impresses in her role. There’s a certain wisdom the young girl has, picking out engagement rings and also reading the situation with Rachel. It’s easy to make children in holiday films feel very one-dimensional, but the performance surpasses stereotypes.

I’m excited to see Jeffries’s career continue, especially knowing she’s been tapped to play Annabeth in the Disney+ Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

Ray Nicholson’s (yes, that Nicholson) Gary, for what it’s worth, doesn’t really seem like a bad guy. He’s a dolt, but he also was hit by a car and believes he had some memory loss. 

If he hadn’t tried to pass the ring off as his own, and they had never been engaged, Rachel could have easily forgiven him for the lie. And I wouldn’t have blamed her! They’re both in a life stage where mistakes are made, and I think they could have grown together.

While Something From Tiffany’s focuses on romantic relationships, there’s also room for a lovely friendship between Rachel and Jojo T. Gibbs’s Terri. Terri fills the role of comedic foil to the drama surrounding her best friend and Gibbs’s dry humor provides some of the show’s funniest moments.

Even Javicia Leslie, though in minimal scenes, shines as Terri’s wife Sophia. This couple teems with flirty chemistry in the few moments we see them together. And ever the meddler, it’s Terri’s actions that change the course of the story for all of the main characters.

All in all, Something From Tiffany’s is a fun romp through New York City during the holidays. From the Bryant Park Christmas Market to the lights on Fifth Avenue, it makes you wistful for a winter romance in the city. And yes, for a little blue box.

Both Zoey Deutch and Kendrick Sampson prove they can take charge as leads of a rom-com, and I hope they are given more opportunities now that the genre is facing a renaissance. I can’t wait to see what projects are next for the pair and can see this film becoming a holiday season staple. 

Stray Thoughts

• Why does Rachel start telling so much information to a stranger in a hospital? That’s so unrealistic!
• Being anxious about trying to tie bows on gifts is so real, and I agree that it takes a certain-sized finger.
• What are the odds that you let a total stranger help serve food in your cafe stand? That has to be a violation.
• I don’t blame Gary for keeping the ring! When do you get a ring of that standard for so cheap?
• It’s so obvious that Vanessa hates New York, I don’t believe Ethan didn’t realize that already.
• Is it safe to bake a diamond ring into a loaf of bread? For the ring?
• I hate when New York movies are geographically inaccurate. Walking from the Guggenheim to the High Line is unrealistic!
• I love a throughline plot — the singers they see on the street helping in the proposal were sweet.

What did you think of Something From Tiffany’s? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Something From Tiffany’s is now streaming on Prime Video.

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