Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis’ Happiest Season Out Now! (Pic credit: Still )
Advertisement
Happiest Season centres around a young woman played by Kristen Stewart whose plan is to propose to her girlfriend played by Mackenzie Davis while at her family’s annual holiday party. All this is when she discovers her partner has not yet come out of her conservative parents’ shadow.
The movie released today in the US and we’ve compiled some of the critic reviews of the film. If you’re planning to watch the movie, check out what critics have to say about the film.
ABC News:
Advertisement
Happiest Season is a little all over the place in its tone, whiplashing between over-the-top comedy and sincere emotional moments, but it’s not hard to look past some of the clunkiness. Overall, it’s a very pleasant watch and I wouldn’t hesitate to put it on again soon.
Happiest Season occasionally gestures toward these questions, but it never acknowledges them. It’s a cute movie with a lot of heart. It’s just that this heart was retrofitted from other movies’ tropes and is, as such, an awkward fit. For the next lesbian Christmas movie (please let there be a next one), it would be great to build a story about queer holiday celebrations from the ground up.
Indie-Wire:
Happiest Season was directed and co-written by Clea DuVall, a queer icon since her breakout performance in 1999’s “But I’m a Cheerleader.” Her 2016 directorial debut “The Intervention” crackled with all of the witticisms and rich character studies sorely lacking from Happiest Season, which feels carefully calibrated to appeal to the widest possible audience. Whether it’s a sophomore slump or a compromise she felt necessary to sell a lesbian rom-com in Hollywood, here’s hoping this isn’t her last attempt.
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.
The Wrap:
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. “Happiest Season” takes a risky step in that direction, but the lingering aftertaste is sweet, not bitter.
