Film Review: Happiest Season – 7.5/10

‘Tonight wasn’t the best…’

Happiest Season' Director Clea DuVall on Aubrey Plaza, Sequel Hopes -  Variety

The glorious decadence of eating turkey sandwiches every day is finally drawing to a close. The Christmas booze has been pushed to the back of the cupboard, now the sole preserve of the ghost of hangovers yet to come. The Christmas tree stoically remains, but even he knows that his time is nearly over. And so, this also means it is time to stop watching Christmas movies. Happiest Season marks the end of the Christmas movie era, and the beginning of a return to normalcy. And what a lovely way to sign off…

Abby (Kristen Stewart) and Harper (Mackenzie Davis) are in a loving relationship, with only a Christmas trip to Harper’s parents standing in the way of Abby’s eventual proposal of marriage. The issue is that Harper remains very much in the closet, and Abby struggles to deal with Harper’s suffocating family. The overbearing matriarch (Mary Steenburgen), the ambitious father (Victor Garber) and the heartless sister (Alison Brie) all appear to be obstacles for Abby to overcome. Luckily, she has her friend John (Dan Levy) and Harper’s former childhood sweetheart Riley (Aubrey Plaza) for support.

Happiest Season has earned praise and plaudits as one of the first mainstream Christmas movies to focus on a same sex relationship. This would be utterly meaningless however if it wasn’t also a cinematic success. Happily, writer/director Clea DuVall (herself an actress of note) has produced a Christmas movie for the ages. In a genre populated with films that are tolerated rather than enjoyed, Happiest Season must go down as a resounding success.

The cast are excellent with Kristen Stewart particularly excelling in a role that allows her to showcase her trademark sullen vulnerability. Mackenzie Davis is suitably loathsome when called upon and Brie, Plaza and Levy all provide able support, particularly the latter two who are both inspired casting choices that help to move things along when the fairly predictable plot becomes too stale.

Happiest Season is not particularly groundbreaking on a cinematic level, but then it doesn’t need to be. It is thoroughly entertaining though, and it is also shot through with just the right amount of Christmas cheer.

A resounding Christmas success.