During the pandemic, actor Will Ferrell got an email while shooting Spirited by Sean Anders. It was an announcement from an old friend he made when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1995. He joined the cast as a performer and the friend as a sketch writer. The friend sent an email to the closest people to announce she was transitioning and would later announce the chosen name. That friend is now Harper Stelle. A friend of thirty years that Ferrell decides to dive deep into what it means to transition in her fifties with Will & Harper.
One of Stelle’s hobbies is traveling to the deep country of the United States. Then, she is curious to discover if she is still welcome to travel to those places after becoming a trans-woman. Will and Harper hop in her car and go for an eighteen-day trip throughout the country. They aim to explore again the places that she has always loved, but she is afraid now to go due to the increasing transphobia. Curious to discover what has changed for her and his interest in educating himself, they embark on an eighteen-day trip across the United States. They stop at specific places to meet people and experience activities where they clash with the transphobic reality.
Besides using the disposal of a road movie, Will & Harper converses with a diary type of documentary. Driving through the long roads of the country, Harper reads some of her journaling since she first conceived the idea of transitioning. It is a raw and heartfelt confession to the public. It is vulnerable and remarkably personal. Some excerpts perfectly exemplify all the pain she has gone through with gender dysphoria. One of their stops is in Trona, California – where Harper bought a house for only ten thousand. It was a resort of peace and freedom for her. It was where she could wear dresses without judgment of the others while coexisting with a decadent town around her.
Surprisingly, a documentary featuring two comics delivers melancholy and pain at different moments. They use the gift of timing and quick response to deal with the hardships of their feelings and what is happening surrounding them. Harper jokes and sarcastically comments about their encounter with the governor of Indiana, Eric Holcomb. When they stop in Indianapolis to watch a Pacers game, they meet different authorities who want to share a moment with Will Ferrell. After the game, they find out that Holcomb is one of the most prominent anti-trans lawmakers in the country, a man who strongly advocates against her existence. She jokes about how they will even tolerate the presence of trans women when they want flashlights and influence. This sharp viewing of reality is constant in all moments and shows how she sees the world.
Even though it successfully developed its thesis, Will & Harper struggles with finding a balance. It fails to contextualize the narrative line. Sometimes, we do not know where Will and Harper are or where they are heading. Also, it lands on a formulaic note: a city where they meet someone important to their history, a reading from her journal, and a gag that usually does not resonate well with the people around them. It diminishes the emotional encore that the director, Josh Greenbaum, tries to imprint in the film. The editing is inconsistent in choosing what material fits the exact direction they are aiming for, but it hits in the dramatic moments. In this sense, the film is uneven in mixing the comedy and the drama, but most of the time, their chemistry carries all the interactions seen on the screen.
Also noteworthy is how sensible Will Ferrell is in letting Harper shine. He does not try to steal the focus of her, understanding that the film is a showcase to introduce this new person to the world. He is even self-critical when he sees that overacted in some situations, for example, when he tries to complete a steak-eating challenge in Texas dressed as Sherlock Holmes. However, his acting draws unnecessary attention to their table, and people online are transphobic to Harper. He rapidly understands his mistake and the consequences that it brings to her. It is a mature approach we see in the camera, delivering a different nuance to the public persona.
Will & Harper is a sweet recording of Will Ferrell and Harper Stelle’s friendship. It is a mature and sincere analysis of a long relationship that is shifting now – but still the same. It features a delicate and mature portrait of an understanding and compassionate Will Ferrell who is different from the usual. Most importantly, it allows Harper to shine and show her true self.
Will & Harper is now streaming on Netflix.
Learn more about the documentary, including how to watch, on the Netflix site.
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