Will & Harper is a documentary about humanity

Streaming Movie Review - Netflix - Documentary/LGBTQ

Poster for Will & Harper. Courtesy of Netflix.

This summer, one of my sisters joined me on a road trip down to North Carolina. I wasn’t sure what to expect because neither of us are the same people we were growing up. What happened was an amazing couple of days of reconnection and deep conversations. Something about being in a car opens people up to the kind of heart-to-heart discussions that might be more difficult when you have the chance to leave. That experience is on full display in Josh Greenbaum’s new documentary, Will & Harper, coming to Netflix on September 27.

The movie follows comedy legend Will Ferrell as he goes on the road with writer and good friend Harper Steele. Ferrell and Steele forged a friendship on Saturday Night Live when they both joined the show at roughly the same time. Steele was a writer who understood Ferrell’s comedy sensibilities, and the two of them became close friends. However, they first met before Harper transitioned to living as a woman, and this road trip allowed these friends to connect in a new context.

(L to R) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele. Courtesy of Netflix.

At the beginning, the film establishes that Harper had previously enjoyed traveling through America, going to smaller towns and dive bars, and generally visiting places that she was concerned would no longer be accessible to her as a trans woman. So, in addition to this being a chance for Will and Harper to reconnect, this was also an occasion for Harper to see what it would be like to enter some of the spaces that she loved, now as a woman.

This documentary does a lovely job of balancing the real pain of the bigotry that trans people endure while also remaining hopeful in its outlook. In a scene where Steele enters a seedy bar alone, she is met with an overwhelmingly positive reaction. But when she and Ferrell visit The Big Texan for the 72 oz. steak challenge, they are met with some vile responses on social media. Steele shares her struggles with suicidal thoughts before transitioning, as well as a negative experience with her therapist when she first came out. She also talks about the hope of finding love as a woman.

(L to R) Harper Steele and Will Ferrell. Courtesy of Netflix.

The relationship between Steele and Ferrell is delightful to behold. The two have the easy banter of old pals, and it is wonderful to get a glimpse of their friendship. The movie is funny at times when it’s not expected and then deeply reflective at other moments. The conversations they have with one another and with those that they meet on the road are eye-opening and vital. 

It could be easy to label Will & Harper as a documentary about the transgender experience in America, and that aspect is certainly present. But more importantly, it is a film about old friends. It is a film about learning to love your body, even with its flaws. It’s a movie about the ways that we make snap judgments and how sometimes people surprise us. Ultimately, Will & Harper is a movie about what it is to be a human, and that’s something everyone can relate to.

@alisechaffinsMy review for Will & Harper, coming soon to Netflix. #documentary #foryou #willandharper #filmtok #willferrell #trans #lgbtq #netflix @Netflix

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This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on September 21, 2024.