More Christmassy goodness on the blog as we wander further into the festive season which I’m kind of enjoying. There’s still so much to do and I probably shouldn’t be sitting around watching as many Xmas films as I am yet that’s exactly what I’m doing. Anything to manifest the magic.
We’ve also inadvertently started a festive LGBTQ+ sub-genre within the collab which is always a bonus. We’ll see what the rest of the month brings by way of seasonal queer stories though as I don’t think there are nearly enough of them.
Film: Happiest Season (2020)
“A holiday romantic comedy that captures the range of emotions tied to wanting your family’s acceptance, being true to yourself, and trying not to ruin Christmas.”
Starring: Kristen Stewart ♥ Mackenzie Davis ♥ Dan Levy ♥ Aubrey Plaza
*Spoilers*
Abby (Stewart) and Harper (Davis) have been together for almost a year when Christmas rolls round. A massive fan of the festive season, Harper convinces a reluctant Abby to spend the holidays with her and her family. Unfortunately, our Abby doesn’t share the same joyful feelings toward Christmas having lost both her parents. But – the things we do for love – eh?
Even more unfortunate is that Abby doesn’t know Harper isn’t exactly out with her family, a fact she learns quite far into their car journey to her parents’ house. And, although Harper had previously told her that she’d revealed her truth and they’d taken in well – she was actually fibbing. She uses her father’s upcoming campaign for mayor as the reason she bottled out – but promises to come clean after the holidays.
So Abby is forced to play Harper’s straight room mate – against her better judgments – and is introduced to Harper’s mother Tipper, father Ted – and sisters Jane and Sloane as her “orphan friend”. And I thought my old family Christmases were awkward.
To add insult to injury, Harper’s family – excluding Jane, who’s pleasingly quirky – are a bunch of raving arseholes. Tipper’s obsession with perfection coupled with Ted’s mission to impress a conservative city council member seems to bring out the very worst in Harper – not to mention her unappealingly competitive relationship with her sister Sloane (Brie). Abby starts to wonder if she knows Harper at all – or whether to move forward with her plan to propose on Christmas day.
When a couple of Harper’s exes pop up – Connor and Riley (Plaza) – things get even more complicated, especially when neglected Abby starts hanging out with Riley (and Harper starts hanging out with Connor). All this plus the normal pressure of Christmas, brattish children, Sloane’s own secret and Ted’s campaign seems to point everyone in the same direction – towards inevitable implosion. Will Abby and Harper make it?
Well, it is Christmas remember so we might all be in for a happy ending, depending on what and who you’re rooting for. Frankly all I want for Christmas is a Kristen Stewart/Aubrey Plaza coupling and I’m not sure how lucky I’m going to be.
Thoughts
This movie is fine but it’s frustrating at times because I wished for a very different ending, fair or not. While the messaging about Harper having the right to come out when she’s absolutely ready is spot on – it still pisses me off.
In a way, given her shit family, you can’t really blame Harper for keeping the truth to herself but there are red flags popping up left and right – and on the whole I wish Abby had left for good. Or done the only sensible thing: run off with Riley. But because this is Christmas and we’re all looking for a neatly wrapped story, we get a much more optimistic climax.
I’ll allow it because of this time of year but I think it would have been a better movie had we skipped the Hollywood ending. Maybe the suggestion of them coming back together later, once Harper had come to terms with who she really is. I don’t know, it’s not really something I have experience of so maybe I’m way off but Harper does not come off well as a character and I wasn’t on her side.
Dan Levy is a wonderful side character who helps Abby see that she’s lucky that her own coming out story was more positive – otherwise this is your paint by numbers Christmas movie with a big lesson for the family to learn by the end.
MY RATING: 3/5
Hag in a Black Leather Jacket 