Will & Harper

What a beautiful movie. Both lighthearted moments and shattering pain. An exploration of friendship, acceptance (of oneself and of others), and bravery. I'm so glad Will Farrell created this project to help his friend Harper feel at a home in the world rather than shuttered in a house at the edge of our continent.

Did I wait the entire movie for a certain theme song? Yes.

I could say more and this box seems to want me too, but I think you should experience this film for yourself. It's deeply personal. It explores self-hate, which we all carry in some way. And the powerful antidote of love and connection.

It's a buddy road documentary in which one of the buddies is newly trans. The film covers 16 days of travel between New York City and Los Angeles, California in the early 2020s. Will Ferrell's longtime friend from Saturday Night Life days, Andrew Steele, has recently transitioned in his late 50s to Harper Steele. Will and Harper travel through suburban and rural America, discussing Will's response to Harper's decision, including some of Will's questions about Harper's process, as well as Harper's experiences as a trans woman. We meet some of Harper's family and see the reactions of various people, including fans at an Indianapolis Pacers game, a bar in Oklahoma, and a massive steak restaurant in Texas. There are surprises and predictable social media reactions.

"Will & Harper" is more about enduring friendship than anything else. Will Ferrell's celebrity skews the exploration of a trans person's daily life in almost every setting. There were some fascinating conversations--with a trans woman named Dana Graber in Peoria, Illinois (I would be fascinated to learn her background since Graber is a common Mennonite name in an area with numerous Mennonites), with Harper's children and sister, and with a psychologist at the rim of the Grand Canyon. "Will & Harper" does advance the reality of trans life in America positively.

An intimate and touching portrayal of a decades-long friendship. Will & Harper is a timely, poignant, and often hilarious documentary that delves into the themes of self-acceptance, life in general, and of course how it feels to be trans. Harper & Will are a great comedy duo, and the touching moments between them as they reflect on their years of friendship and Harper's experiences with such honesty and nuance need to be seen.

It's a very important movie that I hope a lot of people see - if it just helps even one person be a little gentler with themselves and with others, and a little kinder, then it will have been worth it.

My first review and not a long one.

Great movie about friendship, being who you are and how difficult it is to be, if you are not like the majority.

It also shows, that most people are okay with it all, once they meet you and not just hate from home.

As a Dane this is a movie about what is right in the world - the friendship and love through acceptance and a deep connection between people.

At the same time it shows how broken America is, with all the hate and even laws against people basic rights like who you wanna be or abortion etc.

Loved the genuine conduct of Will and Harper, no acting just them.

A much watch movie for everyone who either needs to find acceptance or need to understand that it doesn't hurt them, that someone is different.

It's not easy opening up and allowing yourself to be vulnerable. Friends Will and Harper both allow themselves to be silly and awkward while they reexamine their past and future on this road trip.

Will is an excellent choice to be the avatar of the viewer as many people aren't familiar with trans people or the issues they face, though they harbor no ill will. As a familiar face, Will brings a certain comfort to people while exploring an unfamiliar topic. He asks the questions many people want to ask, even the questions that are a bit too personal for everyone to ask the one trans person they know. This film comes at a time when acceptance of trans people is remarkably high, but also remarkably low.

Trans people just want to exist in peace and happiness, but that existence has been turned into political theater. This documentary highlights how normal and harmless trans people are, while also reminding viewers how extremely negative the public can be to trans people for simply existing. Great progress has been made, but the backlash has also been strong and severe. Trans people are just people; your friends, family, neighbors, and often the people creating your favorite art and entertainment.

This film might not change your mind, but hopefully it'll give you something to think about the next time you hear incendiary rhetoric being used to scapegoat all trans people.