Synopsis
A young woman's plans to propose to her girlfriend while at her family's annual holiday party are upended when she discovers her partner hasn't yet come out to her conservative parents.
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Cast
- Kristen StewartAbby
- Mackenzie DavisHarper
- Alison BrieSloane
- Aubrey PlazaRiley Johnson
- Dan LevyJohn
- Mary HollandJane
- Victor GarberTed
- Mary SteenburgenTipper
- Ana GasteyerHarry Levin
- Jake McDormanConnor
Recommendations
- 88
TheWrap
While some viewers may find the use of the closet and societal homophobia too heavy for this breezy story, there’s a case to be made that including specifically queer concerns into the language of romantic comedy is another step toward genuine inclusiveness. - 80
The Guardian
Happiest Season exists within well-worn framework but still feels fresh, a sprightly and substantial comedy that will be an immediate addition to the Christmas movie rotation for many, including myself. - 80
The Hollywood Reporter
Given DuVall's background as an actor it's unsurprising she draws such engaging work from her cast, with tasty individual characterizations, but more importantly, a group dynamic that's both lively and believable. - 80
Slate
For all the familiar joys and comforts this holiday movie provides—maximally decorated homes, Christmas carols, a slapstick scene at a skating rink—its commentary on the agony of living in the closet, or loving someone who is, stakes out some entirely new territory. - 80
Empire
An ode to impossible expectations, pride, bravery and loyalty, Happiest Season wraps up everything you could want for Christmas in a neat, thoughtful little bow. - 75
The A.V. Club
It’s possible to imagine a much more risk-taking movie than the one DuVall has made. But before a film can break the queer holiday rom-com mold, someone has to set it up first. And Happiest Season is a welcome starting point. - 75
Slant Magazine
The film translates the often difficult realities of a specific kind of marginalized love into a story with broad appeal. - 50
Screen Daily
Stewart and Davis have such adorable chemistry as the central couple — playful and flirty one moment, touchingly sincere the next — that it’s a shame DuVall has stranded them in such an unsatisfying story. Granted, Happiest Season is meant to be cheesy in the comforting way that cable-television Christmas films often are, but all too frequently the actresses seem smarter than the material, forced to navigate preposterous twists and increasingly silly plot complications.
