Romantic comedies are not the most challenging fare for movie audiences. The genre thrives on predictability and the feel-good reassurances of plot convention. Most rom-coms are “will they/won’t they” narratives about a heteronormative couple who need to find a balance to secure a romantic future together. Filmgoers have seen it all before: guy meets girl, conflicts arise, but everything works out for the best. Add in a major life event like a wedding or a holiday and a little bit of family tension, and the formula is complete.
Director Clea Duvall aims to spice up that rom-com recipe with a twist of a lesbian couple at the center of her new film, “Happiest Season.” Co-written with Mary Holland, who also has a supporting role in the movie, the story hits the typical genre devices of a planned proposal during a family holiday, only that this time around, it’s a queer romance. That’s quite a departure from a rom-com’s usual tropes. It’s also a welcome inclusion of homosexuality in a mainstream genre that caters to heartwarming and upbeat depictions of love and monogamy.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Meeting your girlfriend’s family for the first time can be tough. Planning to propose at her family’s annual Christmas dinner – until you realize that they don’t even know she’s gay – is even harder. When Abby (Kristen Stewart) learns that Harper (Mackenzie Davis) has kept their relationship a secret from her family, she begins to question the girlfriend she thought she knew. HAPPIEST SEASON is a holiday romantic comedy that hilariously captures the range of emotions tied to wanting your family’s acceptance, being true to yourself, and trying not to ruin Christmas.
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‘Happiest Season’ already has a ton of star power with Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis as its leads, but many other strong talents are in the ensemble cast. The movie’s cast includes Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Daniel Levy, Victor Garber, Mary Steenburgen, and Ana Gasteyer. That’s a lot of cross-generational comedic talent in one film.
Duvall’s new film, her first since 2016’s “The Intervention,” also made some waves due to Hulu acquiring the movie’s distribution rights from Sony Pictures in the United States. It’s another example of the broader trend of studios selling films to streaming services to bypass a theatrical release due to low audience attendance and theater closures amid the ongoing COVID pandemic. Sony retains distribution rights for the movie in Canada and the rest of the world, but its overseas release plans are yet to be determined.
“Happiest Season” premieres as a Hulu Original film on November 25, just in time for the holiday season. Watch the trailer below.