A Christmas slice of Stewart. Brie is a bonus. Plus, Plaza is perfection! You know what, drizzle some Davis on there as well. Merry Steenburgen!
Harper (Mackenzie Davis) is returning home for the holidays, and impulsively invites her girlfriend to come with her. On the car ride there, Harper confesses to Abby (Kristen Stewart) that she’s never actually told her parents that she’s gay, and she worries how they’ll react when they find out. Her family thinks that she is bringing her ‘roommate’ Abby home for Christmas, because Abby has nowhere else to go. Harper’s father Ted (Victor Garber) is campaigning for mayor, and even though Abby is annoyed at having to pretend they are just friends, she agrees to go along with Harper’s plan, if she believes that now is not the best time to come out to her family. Back home, Harper reconnects with her sisters, Sloane (Alison Brie) and Jane (Mary Holland), as well as her well-meaning, but often unintentionally condescending mother, Tipper (Mary Steenburgen). Back in the town where she grew up, Harper feels conflicted by her old tribulations, and Abby begins to resent being put ‘back in the closet.’
Just looking at the expressions on Makenzie Davis and Kristen Stewart’s faces on the poster, my first thought would be that they’re in the wrong roles, since Davis was so bubbly in Tully, and Stewart can pout for days. But, when the movie gets going, it’s fine, it’s totally fine. This movie is at its strongest when dealing with Harper’s family drama, and competitiveness between the sisters, along with toying with the tension of Abby and Harper’s shared secret. Davis and Stewart have frenetic chemistry and are investible as this couple. The movie surrounds them with really funny characters, and Happiest Season succeeds in providing us a wonderful holiday dramedy.
A lot of the best laughs come out of what is not being said – a look here and there, or a snide comment from a self-preserving family member trying to stay perfect; I found the first half of this movie particularly hilarious. There are occasional moments where the movie stumbles, at being overtly funny, like with the two security guards who seem too unrealistic in an otherwise grounded story; their short time on screen reminded me of the police interrogation scene in The Hangover, but a poor imitation, and I don’t want to be thinking how great another movie did it better when I’m trying to appreciate this one.
I’m going to gush about the actors for a little bit, because Happiest Season is a product of a totally ripper cast. Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis are completely charming, but can somebody give Mary Steenburgen her own meaty mini-series to showcase what a baws-bitch she is? Like Kathryn Hahn had recently with Mrs. Fletcher? You can make it my Christmas wish. I feel Steenburgen is so undervalued for her versatility, even in Mum roles. And I get the sense that Alison Brie just has the best time being a mean girl; I remember the first time I saw Brie in Scream 4 as the conceited agent, and found her completely forgettable, but after seeing sweet little Annie in Community for years, I just think Brie relishes the opportunity to let her inner bitch out, and she is so enjoyable. But the movie’s unexpected standout is Mary Holland for me; her character is absurdly positive despite getting shit on by the whole family and she creates the funniest moments. Aubrey Plaza plays an ex-girlfriend of Harper, and ends up being a charismatic and important presence, to Abby and Harper figuring out the strain on their relationship in this movie’s final stages; I thought she was really fantastic too!
A disappointing drawback of Happiest Season, is that it’s long-winded. The beginning and ending are strong, but there came a time in the middle where I realised that the fun I’d had watching these sisters interact hadn’t continued like I’d hoped. John (Dan Levy) was also hit and miss for me, as the movie uses him to pessimistically deflate each situation while his friends are making the most of it, or as a means for Abbey to dump how she’s feeling at any given time with a phone call. By the end, when John is giving advice to Abby, he proves pivotal in providing an emotionally satisfying ending, and yeah… he can stay. Clea DuVall is a recognisable actress, who directs and co-wrote this movie (with Mary Holland actually), and I have read that she sees Happiest Season as semi-biographical; I just hope aren’t many scenarios where individuals still feel that they have to hide their sexual orientation just to benefit their families’ social or vocational opportunities, like shown in this movie, but I’m sure somewhere sadly, there probably are. DuVall captures a great wit and kindness with these characters though, and I really hope she continues to write and direct.
I guess I’m a fan of these nuclear family reunion movies on a level I didn’t know existed – This is Where I Leave You, Dan in Real Life, and The Family Stone all come to mind, and The Family Stone is even a Christmas movie; so ‘deck the halls with boughs of holly’ and pop it on this December if you haven’t seen it. Compiling some of the funniest, beautiful and most talented actresses of the modern day, Happiest Season certainly had the kindling to be fire, and this extremely worthy Christmas movie is a-blazing.
4.0
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