Zoey Deutch has had quite a year with the diverse roles she’s played. In March, she was an FBI informant in Graham Moore’s The Outfit. Her next role in Not Okay saw her as Danni Sanders, an aspiring writer with a lust for stretching the truth. Deutch’s latest sees her return to the romantic comedy genre, in which she receives an engagement ring meant for someone else. Based on the novel of the same name by Melissa Hill, Something from Tiffany’s combines misfortune and fate in peculiar ways. Directed by Daryl Wein from a screenplay by Tamara Chestna, the film has all the ingredients one might appreciate in a holiday rom-com. Yet, Something from Tiffany’s lacks a good enough script and the chemistry it needs to make anyone want to sit through another holiday rom-com.
The story follows two couples as they navigate their growing relationships in New York City around the holidays. Rachel (Zoey Deutch) and Gary (Ray Nicholson) have been together for three years. While they are not quite ready to take that next big step, they are happy enough to continue to grow together. Ethan (Kendrick Sampson) and Vanessa (Shay Mitchell), on the other hand, are picture-perfect and ready for marriage. Together with his daughter Daisy (Leah Jeffries), Ethan picks out the best ring. Unfortunately, a mix-up of gifts ensues when a buyer gets into a car accident. What follows is a series of twists and unexpected holiday surprises that lead everyone to their rightful paths.
Wein’s holiday romantic comedy is everything one would expect. There are two gorgeous leads on the cusp of changes in their love lives, their not-so-likeable partners, and a great deal of cheesiness in between. The story is also quite predictable, in which it doesn’t require much effort to pay attention. Though this predictability is obvious from the moment the characters cross paths, it isn’t what sets the film back from being good or even decent. It’s the dull acting, lack of chemistry among all the characters, and a boring script that fails to give viewers any reason to continue watching.
One of the main reasons the film feels incredibly lackluster is due to the relationships and how they’re portrayed. Audiences are expected to understand that these couples are on the verge of taking the next steps in their relationships. Yet, there’s rarely any time dedicated for viewers to get to know the couples and how they’ve come to these stages. In the very few moments the screenplay calls for romance, it feels wasted on couples who don’t deserve it because of their lack of chemistry, nor does it make much sense why they’re together. If there was any attempt to sway viewers to care one way or another, it's the weakest one by far among the recent holiday romantic comedies.
If there’s one saving grace for Something from Tiffany’s, it is, without a doubt, Zoey Deutch. She has incredible energy, and she understands the value of likability when portraying her character. Unfortunately, it feels as if she’s in the film alone with respect to watchability. Her chemistry with Sampson seems forced, and it almost feels more appropriate cheering on her independence from these boring and unworthy (of her time) men. The father-daughter relationship between Sampson’s Ethan and Jeffries’ Daisy is an added bonus when these moments come, but they are limited and lack substance considering what the characters have been through.
Ultimately, Something from Tiffany’s is yet another holiday romantic comedy that doesn’t take any risks beyond its genre’s tropes. With few details on the couples and the intricacies of their relationships, viewers may find the film a chore to get through. Additionally, the predictability settles in as early as the opening sequence, deeming it somewhat pointless to continue watching. If not for the spirited performance from Deutch, one might consider director Wein’s latest a poor attempt at entertainment and holiday romance. The actress makes it easy to keep all eyes on her throughout the feature, but with so many good holiday rom-coms this season, it likely won’t be enough to direct viewers away from the competition.
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