A poignant examination of the way an unbreakable friendship continues to evolve over time, Josh Greenbaum’s documentary Will & Harper is a heartwarming, necessary conversation starter. The story of a megastar and their considerably less famous, but sometimes attention getting best friend, Will & Harper finds its subjects asking each other lots of tough questions and figuring out a new normal as they embark on a road trip across the divided United States. Not only does Will & Harper work as a much needed education lesson on trans equality and acceptance and an unlikely travelogue of places to go/avoid, but it’s a heartening reminder of the strength that can come from unwavering friendship.
Actor Will Ferrell and writer Harper Steele have been tight friends since they were both hired to work on Saturday Night Live the same week. Although they had a lot of personal differences in terms of their likes, dislikes, and upbringings, Ferrell and Steele’s shared sense of humour and understanding has endured long after their time on the show ended. Recently, while he was working on a film in Boston, Ferrell received an impassioned, soul bearing email from Steele stating that they were coming out as trans and undergoing the transition from a male identity to a female one. Ferrell was quick to reaffirm his support and friendship for Steele, and together they came up with the idea to hang out and learn more about the road ahead by driving together across the country on one of Harper’s beloved road trips. Fuelled by more Pringles than would be advisable and Harper’s inexplicably beloved Natty Light, they ask questions of each other while visiting the kind of run down dives and haunts that Steele liked to pop into before they transitioned.
Will & Harper is first and foremost a hang out movie. Most of the charm in Greenbaum’s film comes from just letting Ferrell and Steele be themselves; trading jabs and talking about their lives in an intimate, friendly setting. They know how to make each other feel at ease, something that’s especially poignant when one of them is going through a massive life change and the other is a well known personality who likes to keep close guard over their private world. Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Becoming Bond) is allowed access to their rich inner lives because the approach isn’t a stunt designed to elicit road movie laughs and cliches. These are low key people at the end of the day, and Will & Harper allows its subjects to be relaxed and relatable.
Greenbaum, Ferrell, and Steele have a great instinct for picturesque locations and set-ups that can spark memories and meaningful conversations, but Will & Harper is most indispensable when it depicts exactly what it means to stand up for a friend who’s trans in a frequently threatening and unsafe world. There’s plenty of darkness in the world at the moment, and the danger to Harper’s safety frequently manifests itself in the most passive aggressive of ways. To some degree, Ferrell’s accompanying Harper on this road trip functions as a way to help a transitioning person slide back into their previous routines, but Greenbaum and his subjects are quick to point out that this is a special sort of case, and not everyone in a similar situation can have their straight, white, cis friend re-introduce them to the world. Similarly, by putting himself out there, Ferrell opens himself up to criticism from the bigoted, politically charged online trolls at large, with the fallout from a particularly tense moment at a Texas steakhouse (that was supposed to be a bit of silly fun) coming down on the both of them like a ton of bricks.
And yet, despite that moment, Will and Harper persist on their journey, and as they progress westward from New York City to Los Angeles, the bond and tenderness grows. Will & Harper builds to a powerful and moving segment where Steele brings Ferrell to their “place of peace,” which is nothing more than a dilapidated shack in a run down community in the desert. It’s derelict, sketchy, and looks unsustainable, but hearing that Steel purchased it because it was the only place she could be herself with any degree of privacy is gutting. It’s a potent metaphor for the trans experience, but also a brilliant commentary on how even the best of friends might not know the struggles each other are going through.
Will & Harper asks people to make an honest effort to understand and support those around them, then to go the extra mile and show them that they are valued and loved. Along the way, Ferrell and Steele meet up or hit up other famous friends to chat about the road ahead (begging Kristen Wiig to come up with a theme song for the movie, taking a poignant and surprisingly emotional hot air balloon ride with Will Forte), and instead of seeming like a superfluous calling in of favours, everyone takes those extra steps to reconnect and learn more. They aren’t afraid to ask questions and are always remember that this is the same person they loved from the start. And by always admitting that their road trip is transpiring under some degree of safety netting, the film remains honest and unforced. It’s cliche and perhaps overly hopeful to say that something like Will & Harper can educate viewers overnight, but every little bit helps.
Will & Harper is now playing in select cities and is available to stream on Netflix starting Friday, September 27, 2024. It screened as part of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
