When Abbey (Kristen Stewart) is invited to her girlfriends home for Christmas she is excited and plans to propose on Christmas Day. Unfortunately what she does not know is that Harper (Mackenzie Davis) has not yet come out to her parents and is not quite ready to yet.

Happiest Season took me by surprise as generally speaking I am quite hard to please when it comes to “Christmas” movies but I have to say this inclusive family Christmas film was a delight. It manages to encompass so many aspects of family life in an uplifting and very humorous bundle. Family disputes when extended family come together? Check. The frightening and awkward moments of being introduced to a partners family for the first time? Check. The awkward nature of trying to live up to parents expectations? Check. Bumping into exes with your new love? Check. It even includes the caring but sometimes frantic mother (Mary Steenburgen) and the hilarious gay best friend (Dan Levy) that seem ever present in this kind of family comedy/drama.

The love and care between our two leads feels tangible and Stewart and Davis have great chemistry together. The supporting cast is fantastic as well. Alison Brie is perfect as the stern and flawless elder sister. Mary Holland is great as the kooky and awkward younger sister. Victor Garber and Steenburgen are capable hands at the caring but blinkered parents. Whilst Aubrey Plaza and Dan Levy get to steal scenes as friends of Abbey and Harper. The ensemble work brilliantly together and there are a lot of laugh out loud moments throughout.

As is inevitable with this type of film a wedge needs to be driven between our two leads and for once it does not seem contrived or false. Writer/Director Clea DuVall manages to create a narrative that feels real and has emotional heft providing Dan Levy with a scene that will probably ring true for many people whilst providing the sort of warmth and care that a Christmas film should.

And to top it all off our characters visit the cinema to see It’s a Wonderful Life, the greatest Christmas film of them all. Happiest Season should become a Christmas stalwart for years to come.