Happiest Season, a Christmas movie released in 2020, focuses on the difficulties of coming out and feeling welcome as an LGBTQ+ individual in a strict, upper-class social sphere. The movie, which has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, was written and directed by Clea DuVall, who is well known for But I’m a Cheerleader, a 1999 film about a gay conversion camp that was poorly received at the time but has grown to become a cult classic in the LGBTQ+ community. Although I believe the beginning of November is too early to begin celebrating Christmas, I couldn’t resist watching a film that features Kristen Stewart, Aubrey Plaza, and Victor Garber. By the end, I was both amused with the movie and frustrated with the writers, but I couldn’t deny that the film made an important statement about what it means to be LGBTQ+.
The rom-com begins with Abby (Kristen Stewart) and Harper (Mackenzie Davis), a seemingly blissful couple, getting ready to spend the Christmas season at Harper’s parents’ house. Abby, preparing to propose to Harper, hesitantly agrees to the trip, only to discover on the drive to the house that Harper’s family is unaware of her sexuality, meaning the pair will have to lie about their relationship throughout the holidays. Upset with Harper for lying to her about having come out to her parents, Abby wants to cancel the trip but is guilted into pretending to be Harper’s roommate for the duration of the trip. As the movie progresses, their relationship becomes strained because of Harper’s overbearing and homophobic parents, judgmental hometown, and quickly unraveling lies. When Abby forms a friendship with Riley (Aubrey Plaza), Harper’s ex-girlfriend, Harper must face a difficult decision: come to terms with her sexuality or lose her lover forever.
Throughout the movie, one of the biggest issues that the couple faces is heteronormativity, especially within the upper class rings that Harper’s family is a part of. Harper’s parents, played by Victor Garber and Mary Steenburgen, submit to the quiet homophobia that surrounds them, making comments that attempt to hide their bigotry. For example, when the family sees Riley, Harper’s parents talk about how intelligent she is before adding, “That lifestyle choice, such a shame.” In this scene, the movie addresses the false belief that sexuality is a choice; even in today’s more accepting society, many people still believe that LGBTQ+ individuals have the choice to “be normal,” which can harm these individuals’ self-esteem and mental health. Additionally, the movie shows the repercussions of being outed (having one’s identity revealed when they do not wish to do so); when Harper is outed by her sister at one of her father’s political events, much of the high society loses their respect for Harper’s family and attempts to force Harper back into the closet. While still maintaining the comedic energy of a Christmas film, Happiest Season illustrates important subjects like why LGBTQ+ individuals are often uncomfortable with, or even fearful of, showcasing their true identities.
One of the things that I disliked most about the movie was Harper’s character. When she returns to her hometown and her old friends, she reverts back to hiding her identity, going so far as to push Abby away. The biggest truth that Abby discovers from Harper’s past is that when secretly dating Riley, she outed Riley in order to avoid others’ negative opinions of her. In turn, Riley was shunned by her community. Still, Harper’s character, while toxic, was objectively well-written. The writing showed how she was forced to change herself to fit in because of her internalized homophobia and the pressure of her community. Towards the end of the movie, Abby’s best friend, played by Dan Levy, explains why Harper might have had such a difficult time coming out. While addressing the different coming out stories that LGBTQ+ individuals experience, he says something that stuck with me even after the movie was over: “The one thing that all of those stories have in common is that moment right before you say those words, when your heart is racing, and you don’t know what’s coming next—that moment’s really terrifying, and then once you say those words, you can’t unsay them; a chapter has ended and a new one’s begun, and you have to be ready for that.”
Having discussed Harper’s character, there was one aspect of the movie that I hated and could not rationalize, even from the writers’ point of view. When Abby becomes friends with Riley, she finds someone who perfectly clicks with her personality. Riley is a sarcastic, funny, smart, and openly LGBTQ+ woman who stays by Abby’s side, particularly when Harper’s personality shifts and she begins pushing Abby away. During all of their scenes with one another, Abby and Riley’s chemistry was almost tangible, and I, along with many other people who watched the film, desperately believed that the two would end up together. However, despite the tension that had grown between Harper and Abby, they still get their happy ending, leaving Abby and Riley’s friendship ambiguous. When I finished the movie, I was reeling from confusion and anger over why the writers would ignore the obvious chemistry between the two. On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, even Plaza admitted, “Look, I wanted it too, okay? I’m not gonna lie. I wanted it too. I wanted it very badly… But I didn’t write the thing, and I didn’t direct the thing. I showed up, did my job, and got out of there. There are some things you just don’t have control over. But I’m not giving up hope for Riley. I think she’s got a bright future ahead.”
Filled with comedy, familiar faces, and a bubbly holiday atmosphere, Happiest Season is definitely a great feel-good Christmas movie that also explores the importance and difficulties of coming out as LGBTQ+. However, given the unlikeable main character and unpleasantly surprising ending, I would recommend watching this only when you are prepared to be angry at the filmmakers.
