Looking for a good romantic comedy this holiday season? Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis, have got you covered in their latest film, Happiest Season. The film, directed by Clea DuVall, discusses a problem most of the LGBTQ+ community face all the time: coming out to their loved ones.

Harper (Davis) invites her girlfriend Abby (Stewart) to spend the Christmas holiday with her family since Abby isn’t too keen on the holiday after her parents died ten years prior. After accepting Harper’s invitation, Abby decides she is going to propose to Harper on Christmas morning and even ask for her father’s blessing.

Here is where it gets a little tricky. The focus of the film is shifted to Harper still not being out to her family because her father is running for mayor and believes it will hurt his chances of getting elected for office. Harper promises Abby it would only be five days that they would pretend to be just roommates and close friends, promising to tell her parents after the holidays.

The cliché “I haven’t come out to my parents yet” trope is often overused in mainstream LGBTQ+ films but it feels fresh this time around and still rings true for many. With Harper’s family in the public eye due to her father’s mayoral campaign, the pressure to be the “picture perfect” daughter puts a strain on her relationship with Abby. As Abby’s gay best friend John—played by “Schitt’s Creek” star Dan Levy—tells her, every coming out story is different, and everyone experiences the anxiety that comes with it. 

Happiest Season is a refreshing take on the holiday romantic comedy genre. The film is heartfelt and sends a great message to the LGBTQ+ community about the fears of coming out to their families. The film also features Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie, Mary Steenburgen, Victor Garber, and Mary Holland.

Happiest Season is now streaming on Hulu.