Happiest Season is a 2020 American holiday romantic comedy movie that captures the range of emotions tied to wanting your family’s acceptance, being true to yourself, and trying not to ruin Christmas.
Happiest Season Movie is a blast all the way through. It’s really funny and It’s a really enjoyable movie.
Happiest Season Movie Cast
Kristen Stewart as Abby | Clea Duvall – Director/Screenwriter |
Mackenzie Davis as Harper | Mary Holland – Screenwriter |
Mary Steenburgen as Tipper | Marty Bowen – Producer |
Victor Garber as Ted | Isaac Klausner – Producer |
Alison Brie as Sloane | Jonathan McCoy – Executive Producer |
Mary Holland as Jane | Wyck Godfrey – Executive Producer |
Dan Levy as John | John Guleserian – Cinematographer |
Burl Moseley as Eric | Melissa Bretherton – Film Editor |
Aubrey Plaza as Riley | Amie Doherty – Original Music |
Sarayu Blue as Carolyn |
Happiest Season Movie Review
Happiest season was directed by Clea Duvall and co-written by her and Mary Holland who also stars in the film it’s currently on Hulu.
This film stars Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis as Abby and Harper. There are a couple that’s going home to meet Harper’s parents for the first time.
Along the way Abbie realizes that Harper has not come out to her parents and so they have to pretend like they’re just roommates. Until she feels she’s ready to come out to her parents who she’s afraid will not be very except of of this.
When it comes to a Christmas romantic comedy I have to really be in the mood. There’s tons of hallmark movies are lifetime channel movies that are just kind of embarrassing and there are some that are actually not too terrible but they all follow a very similar formula and I have to really feel like watching them.
Where I can watch a movie that takes place on Halloween all year. I have to be in the mood for a Christmas movie and especially at Christmas rom com.
When it comes to happiest season I wanted to see it mostly because I love Kristen Stewart and because I’ve always really like Clea Duvall and I wanted to see what you did behind the cameras is not her first films are second and she understood something and I think it’s extremely important when it comes to this movie and she pulled it off so well that I feel like the majority of people aren’t even going to notice.
When a director or writer and actor anybody really a talent is able to make something look really easy. It probably wasn’t and what she did so well is make this movie fun.
Why is that so amazing?
Well it’s because this could have been a very depressing raw and real movie about a family that’s not accepted about a daughter that’s telling them that she’s gay.
This movie could easily have gone in a different direction. One that would feel very important and would feel very relevant and extremely emotional.
And while the movie certainly has its moments that are emotional in that way, this film retains its fine feeling. It retains a welcoming feeling. It’s a movie that really anybody can watch and enjoy and have a good time and not feel sad when it’s over.
Because I think we’ve all seen movies about people who haven’t been able to express to their family or friends their real selves. Because they’re afraid what would happen if they did that.
And sometimes although it can be really empowering to watch a movie like that. It’s really depressing.
Happiest Season Movie is a blast all the way through. It’s really funny and It’s a really enjoyable movie.
And that in itself is a feat to be praised, because the subject matter could potentially be extremely serious and heavy handed. But they found a great way to honor that subject matter while also just being a fun Christmas movie that you can enjoy year.
After year it’s well acted across the board Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis are super charming in the movie.
Dan Levy is god damn hilarious in the movie and easily a standout. I laughed at just about everything he says.
He’s got this hilarious bit throughout the movie, where he just says he’s tracking everyone on his cell phone. He’s got some kind of app and he’s got all of his friends hooked into it and he’s just he’s always tracking them knows where they are and he really can’t take care of fish.
And he just has a great comedic presence throughout the entire film that really really gave the movie a lot of levity.
But the film is very formulaic. You can basically predict how things will go. There some not so subtle imagery like Kristen Stewart’s character literally hiding in a closet at one point.
The film has quite a bit of cliches and tropes of the genre like characters just meeting on the street constantly or outside of a party, that need to talk just so happen to be in the same place at the same time.
It’s a bit of movie logic if someone is carrying something large heavy possibly expensive or very valuable or personal odds are it’s probably gonna be broken in the next scene and it’s going to be very embarrassing.
Films like guess who’s coming to dinner or Meet The Parents. I think probably had some inspiration here. Meet The Parents being very similar in its beat by beat execution.
It’s not a copy of that phone by any means. It’s just that if you’ve seen that movie you can probably see where things are going.
It’s somebody who would really like to get engaged to their significant other and they have to meet a family that ends up being kind of weird and they’re keeping a lot of secrets as well and it’s a long series of embarrassing comedy and hilarity that ensues.
It says that this one has a twist that these two characters are in a relationship and they’re hiding that.
So that gives the movie a considerable emotional weight that meet the parents just doesn’t have.
So if you know you’re getting into with a movie like Happiest Season, you’re probably going to enjoy it.
If you already wanted to see this movie you’re probably going to enjoy it. Nothing I’m going to say it’s going to deter you from that.
It’s a perfectly enjoyable Christmas movie that has I think in an important spin on things that could inspire a lot of people and that’s awesome.
Also there’s one thing about this film that I found extremely funny and it’s only going to be funny to you if you know about Clea duvall’s filmography and her role in the movie the faculty.
inwhich she starred opposite Josh Hartnett, because one of the characters has a picture of Josh Hartnett in their room and they just sort of gawk at the poster and talk about how Hadi is.
Now was like faculty love. So even though the film is very formulaic and you can basically see where it’s going. Everyone wears green and yellow and red and it’s perfect Christmas color scheme and it all feels like everything’s in the right place.
It’s something you’ve seen before. It’s all done extremely well and I’ve said this many times in my reviews.
You can have a film that’s filled with cliches and tropes are feels very familiar. If it’s done well, those things are almost always going to work.
If you have the right talent assembled in your movie and that comes down to casting. It’s going to work.
And this movie has cast wonderfully. All the actors are really good in the movie especially Mary Holland as the sister in this family that is least appreciated. She gets a few really great scenes and she co-wrote the movie as well, which is really impressive.
I had a good time with this film and I think that a lot of people are going to really love it. I’m a give Happiest Season a B-plus.
It was exactly what I wanted to be and nothing more. It gave me what I wanted. It was funny. It was a light hearted and I must reiterate that despite its serious subject matter and how important and relevant the story is.
It was able to be breezy and enjoyable to watch. It reminded me of the movie Love Simon which also was a very important movie. it is kind of groundbreaking actually, that was a very fun to watch and extremely accessible.
Nobody talks about love Simon anymore for some reason, it was really good if you haven’t seen it check it out. Also Happiest Season it’s on Hulu check that one out too it’s good.
Guys thank you so much as always for reading my reviews. See you next time.