Review: Kristen Stewart makes spirits bright in LGBT holiday romantic comedy 'Happiest Season'

The average holiday-themed romantic comedy is such a synthetic box of delights, such a pleasingly calculated assortment of warm-and-fuzzies, that it's worth taking note when someone tries to steer it in a tougher, more honest direction. "Happiest Season," a new comedy directed by Clea DuVall ("The Intervention"), is a clever, affecting, endearingly imperfect example. Starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis as a lesbian couple keeping their relationship under wraps during a Christmas get-together, it means to express something pointed and sincere about how families operate, how secrets fester and how important — and difficult — it can be to live authentically.

For Abby (Stewart),