Hulu's Happiest Season delivered a hilarious and charming holiday treat for fans this Christmas season. The romantic comedy stars Kristen Stewart as a young woman who agrees to spend the holidays with her girlfriend Harper (Mackenzie Grace) only to find out that Harper's family doesn't yet know she is gay.
Part of what makes the movie so special is the incredible ensemble that brings the story to life. There are plenty of memorable characters to add to the fun of the film, but some of them make some pretty mean, selfish and thoughtless decisions that are certainly not in keeping with the holiday spirit.
Magnus And Matilda: Framing Abby For Shoplifting
While Magnus and Matilda first seem like adorable little kids, they soon prove to be more mischievous than meets the eye. They are the children of Sloane and Eric and the only grandkids in the family.
Magnus and Matilda are sort of creepy and quiet as Abby tries to get to know them and she even takes them shopping. When Abby's back is turned, they sneak some jewelry into her backpack and she is busted by mall security. Abby is humiliated and her hopes of making a good impression on the family are ruined.
Eric: Making Out With Carolyn
There are a lot of secrets in this family, including between Sloane and Eric. While they initially seem like a happy couple, they are actually secretly going through a divorce. Eric agrees to keep up appearances so Sloane can wait until after the holidays to tell her parents.
However, during the Christmas party, Eric sneaks away with the political consultant Carolyn and they make out in the closet, only to be discovered by Sloane. While it is not cheating, it is a pretty selfish thing to do.
Ted: Not Accepting His Daughters
Ted is the patriarch of the family and is in the midst of a mayoral campaign. He is not an outwardly mean father, but his unreasonable expectations for his daughters have led them to suppress huge secrets so he won't stop loving them.
It is a terrible thing for a parent to do and obviously has some horrible effects on his daughters. When Harper finally does admit she is gay, Ted walks out of the room, offering no support in this moment.
Tipper: Making Excuses For Ted
Tipper is the mother of the family and only slightly less intimidating than Ted. She is more passive-aggressive with how she communicates her disappointment, but at least she is much quicker in showing support to Harper and realizing her and Ted's massive mistakes as parents.
However, Tipper might be too diplomatic as she makes excuses for Ted not apologizing to Harper by saying he just needs more time. She should be scolding him for being such an uncaring father, not treating him like he's been wronged.
John: Killing Abby's Fish
When Abby agrees to spend the holidays with Harper's family, she leaves behind a lot of pets that need to be cared for. She asks her best friend John, played by Dan Levy, to handle the task which he doesn't seem to take seriously at all.
While John is a supportive friend to Abby with her relationship issues, even driving to Harper's family's house to help her, he did neglect to feed her fish and ended up killing it. So he's a caring friend, just not a responsible one.
Jane: Letting Her Family Walk Over Her
Jane is Harper and Sloane's other sister and the black sheep of the family. But while she is ignored and pushed aside by her family, she is also a lot more likable than any of them. She is a kind, welcoming, and enthusiastic person who is unfairly treated.
She really doesn't do anything wrong in the movie other than being too forgiving to her mean-spirited family. Jane does eventually snap and tell them all off, but she honestly could have done it a lot sooner and been justified in doing so.
Riley: Forcing Abby To Sing
Aubrey Plaza really steals the show in a supporting role as Riley, Harper's first girlfriend. After being wronged by Harper so many years ago, Riley tries to comfort Abby as she goes through a tough time with Harper as well.
Like Jane, Riley is just a good person who is helpful and caring. The closest she comes to ever do anything wrong is when she forces Abby to sing along with a Christmas carol to a crowded bar. Not everyone likes signing in public.
Abby: Breaking Up With Harper In Public
Abby is certainly the character the audience sympathizes the most with. She just wants to spend the holidays with the woman she loves and get to know her family since she doesn't have one of her own.
To see Harper ignore Abby and deflect her own insecurities onto her is gut-wrenching. By the time she decides she has had enough, it's hard to argue with her. But when she goes up to Harper in the middle of the party and tells her it's over, it could have outed her, which is insensitive, even if Abby doesn't understand Harper's fear about that.
Sloane: Outing Harper
Sloane, played by Alison Brie, is a fairly unlikeable character right from the start. Yes, she is going through a divorce and she is treated unfairly by her parents, but she is also just mean and spiteful.
When she walks in on Harper and Abby kissing, she doesn't offer happiness for her sister's new relationship or sympathy that she needs to hide it. Instead, she is thrilled that she can make Harper look bad to her parents and proceeds to out Harper in front of the entire party. It is an unforgivable act.
Harper: Outing Riley And Making Her An Outcast
While Mackenzie Davis makes Harper a charming character at times, she is also a frustrating one. It is understandable that she would be so scared of people finding out she is gay, but that fear makes her act in some very hurtful ways.
We find out the truth about Harper and Riley's relationship and how Harper betrayed Riley. After one of the love letters Riley wrote to Harper was discovered by another girl, Harper tried to protect herself by saying Riley was a lesbian and obsessed with Harper. As a result, Riley became an outcast at school.