It might be time to unknowingly offend people simply because in the ‘woke’ era of Hollywood it would appear that Happiest Season has taken a step back as though to review and remind people that coming out as gay or lesbian is still incredibly hard for some people when inclusion and acceptance have been pushed to such a degree. Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis, she of Dark Fate infamy, are taking on a movie that is apparently still making ‘in the closet’ jokes and reminding us once again that the LGBTQ+ community is still attempting to drive home the point that their life choices are somehow under attack by conservatism given that the two main characters are perfectly happy together until they make their way to Harper’s, played by Mackenzie, family’s home for the holidays. When introducing her partner, Abby, played by Stewart, Harper states that she is an orphan and her roommate, but makes no mention that they are in fact a couple. Did we slip back a decade or two suddenly? For quite a bit of time now the LGBTQ+ community has been working to be seen as equals when it comes to their preferences, their lifestyle, and the ability to be seen as legal partners under the law. Great strides have been taken when it comes to all of these and to be fair, they are just people and should be treated with the same respect and afforded the same rights. But a movie such as this kind of drives home the point that many within the said community might not feel that they’ve been given the respect that they want.
It is kind of tough to argue that everyone in the LGBTQ+ community has been given the same kind of opportunities since many still feel that they haven’t been afforded the same rights or even the proper respect that people are due. But this movie does feel like a big step backward since the whole idea of coming out is something that is typically necessary for a lot of people to simply live as they want and be happy. Plus, the acceptance rate for the LGBTQ+ community has experienced a huge jump over the years that has been overwhelmingly positive. Obviously, not everyone is going to agree with this lifestyle, and it’s saddening for those that might lose family, friends, and feel that they need to hide who they are. But the continual need to drum the idea of people having to hide who they are doesn’t feel like a step forward when looking at the various other movies and TV shows out there that have continued to push for further acceptance and a normalization of the lifestyles that people choose to adopt or continue.
To say that the movie will teach a few lessons and go over a few points that many people have already seen and come to understand is a bit obvious, but it’s also not going to be much of a surprise if Stewart and Davis’ performance is panned simply because people are tired of being reminded that the LGBTQ+ community wants equality when they are in fact making great strides towards reaching the kind of acceptance that has been desired for so long. As a movie and a pleasing holiday offering for the viewers, the movie is bound to be something that will be enjoyed by fans and possibly seen as a heartwarming tale of acceptance and what it means to just be yourself and learn to love who you are without waiting on the approval of others or something along those lines, but it does feel as though the main point of the movie could have gone without needing to review something that many people are already fully aware of no matter how many people tell them they’re not. Treating people with dignity, respect, and not judging them for their lifestyle is something that many people have been working towards, but the idea that we’re still seeing movies that are showing the plight of a community isn’t bound to be seen as a step forward, and if it is then it’s fair to say that the lapse in memory isn’t being experienced by society at large, but rather those that might need to take a look around to see that no matter how many people don’t approve of their lifestyle or care for it, there are just as many if not more people that are more than willing to respect it and to treat each individual with a great deal of respect.
Hopefully, the movie is charming enough that it can avoid being judged for the content that’s already come out in the trailer since it could be a positive holiday experience that will help to show that people can be happy being who they are.
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