A cliched romantic comedy with no chemistry between the leads
Ethan Greene buys a ring from the movie’s namesake jewelry store intending to pop the question to Vanessa. Additionally, at the exact same shop, Ethan and Gary accidentally switch up their matching shopping bags. Due to the confusion, Vanessa ends up with a set of earrings clearly bought for Rachel, while Rachel ends up with an engagement ring that was bought for Vanessa. Owing to the whole mix-up, Rachel befriends Ethan, and as a consequence of their mutual attraction, they learn what real love is like. The two leads’ accidental encounters and blossoming passion make for a semi-touching love story. The stunning jewel-toned opening sequence brings to mind a timeless, dreamy elegant New York City during December. The place is glistening with Christmas decorations and crisp snowflakes, with Dean Martin singing “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm”. The feel-good, Christmas-themed rom-com offers a fairytale-like plot. While the characters conquer significant dilemmas to discover love, the protagonists offer a dimension of emotional relatability. Therefore, the allegedly fairytale-like romantic drama between Rachel and Ethan seems rooted in reality. The movie contains all the elements that one could enjoy in a Christmas rom-com including two attractive central characters who are about to experience changes in their relationships, two unlikable spouses and a boatload of cheesiness in between. However, the film falls short as there is no chemistry between the two protagonists and it lacks a compelling enough narrative to entice viewers to watch it. Among the primary issues with this contemporary rom-com, besides from the absence of chemistry between its leads, is that it does not have engaging, multifaceted characters. Everybody in this movie ultimately comes off as more of a notion than an actual person. The chaotic protagonist, the toxic, negligent fiancé, the single father with a big heart, the intelligent child who is mature beyond her age, the supportive yet sassy friend, and also the fiancé who simply doesn’t fit. The drama exudes themes of passion and friendship while addressing the beauty and thrill of Christmas as well as the approaching New Year. The movie also tackles the fragile nature of relationships and reveals what is truly required to make a bond thrive. However, the central characters aren’t given time to develop and the depiction of their relationship makes the movie feel terribly bland. The viewers expect to see how the lovers are about to move forward in their relationship. Sadly, though, there isn’t much time set up for audiences to learn about the couple and also how they got to that point. When it comes to the secondary characters, the holiday flick lacks substance. The drama does not attempt to develop any of them beyond a single dimension. Additionally, it invests no time exploring the initial spouses of the flawless couple unless it is required to demonstrate that the characters are jerks, self-centered, cold-hearted, or a combination of these. Gary’s lack of sympathetic traits makes him easier to overlook, but Vanessa doesn’t appear to be beyond redemption. Still, she’s ignored. The actors who play Rachel and Ethan (Zoey Deutch and Kendrick Sampson), perform quite well. Leah Jeffries plays her role decently too, and is aware of the importance of making her role likable. Sadly, despite what both the characters have gone through, the father-daughter bonding sequences between Daisy and Ethan are few and far between, feeling shallow as a result. In essence, Something From Tiffany’s offers a fairly straightforward premise that is both predictable and, to some extent, comforting since it’s a rom-com. New York is shown beautifully, the holiday-themed music is amazing and Rachel’s outfits are stunning. Sadly, though, due to awkward silences and extended pauses between the primary leads, as well as a lack of chemistry seen between them, the movie fails to extend that beauty to its screenplay and narrative, which feel bland and lacking. Read More: Something from Tiffany’s Ending Explained
