Happiest Season Trailer: A Queer Holiday Romcom That Promises To Redefine The Christmas Magic

The trailer for Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis-starrer Happiest Season is out and looks like it is all set to redefine the Christmas romantic comedy movie genre. With two actresses in the lead as a lesbian couple, this Hulu Original deviates from the recipe of a hallmark holiday film, but only just. Quintessential features kept intact - cosy sweaters, a dysfunctional family, and tons of breezy comedy - Happiest Season turns the boy-girl love story on its head, to sprinkle some gay, Christmas magic upon its audiences through a lesbian romance. And needless to say, it checks all the boxes that qualify it for a cosy, hot chocolate-accompanied winter watch.

The plot follows a lesbian couple Abby (Stewart) and Harper (Davis) who are scheduled to visit the latter's house for Christmas Abby's excitement at the prospect of meeting her lover's family is thrown into a loop when she discovers that Harper's family doesn't know their daughter is homosexual. A bittersweet journey thus ensues as the two try to navigate their relationship through clandestine meetings, anxieties, but above all, hope for resolution.

The film has an especially accomplished ensemble, with each actor at the very top of their respective games. Aside from Stewart and Davis, it includes Daniel Levy, Alison Brie Mary Steenburgen, Victor Garber, and Ana Gasteyer, among others. Happiest Season will stream online on Hulu from November 25, 2020.

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How Happiest Season Promotes Inclusivity

Happiest Season is a refreshing change from the films and content that preach messages of queer inclusivity, for it isn't just performative. How does one figure that? Because being a project helmed by artists that proudly belong to the LGBTQIA community, the film offers an honest queer representation.

Renowned actress Clea DuVall, known for her roles in The Faculty, Zodiac, and Argo, has directed Happiest Season. Since she identifies herself as a lesbian, the trailer reflects that the storyline has been dealt with sensitively, without any attempts to sermonise the audience about normalising queerness. The film appears to be as merry - sometimes even predictably so - as any regular, old romcom.

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Kristen Stewart meanwhile, known best for her Twilight series, identifies as bisexual and has been vocal about her sexuality on many occasions. She is currently in a relationship with Dylan Meyer and the two don't shy away from sharing cute photos together on social media.

Levy, star of his own Emmy-studded series Schitt's Creek and the internet's current obsession as David Rose, has also been open about his bisexuality. On his own show, the queerness of his character as the eccentric David, was both pivotal and yet not imposing. Just as his sexuality had been seamlessly streamlined into the plot there, so it has been in Happiest Season too, where he plays  John, Abby's gay confidant.

The presence of these names on the cast indicates that the film is geared to be a joyride, devoid of the regular brash tropes about the queer community. The only tropes that may exist are those saccharine, Christmassy, ones of love, heartbreak, and resolution. But really, who doesn't enjoy those?

Watch the trailer of Happiest Season here: 

Views expressed are the author's own.