Carl Roberts 
Will & Harper. (L to R) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele in Will & Harper. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024
A heartfelt, funny, moving, revealing and a wake-up call to the world, Will & Harper will take you through every human emotion there is.
Hitting selected screens this weekend is the documentary, Will & Harper. The film details a road trip between actor Will Ferrell and his long-time friend Harper Steele. The pair met on the set of Saturday Night Live back in the 1990s where their friendship began. Almost thirty years later, Ferrell received an email from his friend. What it contained took the actor by surprise. Steele reached out to Ferrell among other friends during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 to inform them of her intention to go through gender transition. Ferrell took the news in his stride, accepting that his friend was now a woman. The documentary follows the pair as they take a 17-day road trip across the USA. And what they find lays bare that the world’s population needs to change their attitudes.
THOUGHTS
This is a documentary that deserves, nay, screams to be seen. From the start, we feel warmth for the pair as they start their journey. Will Ferrell embraces his friend as though nothing has changed. This is a journey of self-discovery for both the actor and Harper Steele. For Ferrell, this is about learning how things may have changed with regards to hugging and touching his friend. For Harper Steele, this is about finding her inner confidence to do the things she used to do when she was Andrew Steele. This is a learning curve that leads to many discoveries along the way, not all of them pleasant. While Harper’s children accept her for what she is, the same as Ferrell, the cast of SNL and Harper’s sister, attitudes across America vary.
Make no mistake, the documentary will take us all to places we don’t want to go to at times. While the majority of responses are good, many are bad. For every two good experiences with the various people they meet on their journey, there’s one that is terrible. Harper is misgendered at least twice on their travels and the realisation of the person who misgenders here proves that attitudes need to change quickly. While many people are accepting of this change for Harper, many others are not. While not calling out any State in particular, I will say the audience will be shocked by the section in one of the biggest. Even with Ferrell wearing his costume from Holmes & Watson for comedic value, the attitudes are disgusting. Just listen to the social media reaction the pair face afterwards.
PRINGLES & FIREWORKS
Some of the most enjoyable interactions happen in a Supermarket parking lot. Harper goes in to buy supplies for their trip, only to find Ferrell has set up two canvas chairs in the parking lot when she emerges. There, for some reason known only to themselves, the pair sit and drink beer and eat Pringles while talking. Harper has bought a LOT of Pringles. In another funny but touching scene, Ferrell and Harper arrive at Harper’s sister’s place. As a gift for allowing him to stay at her home overnight, Ferrell gives Harper’s sister an unopened tube of Pringles. It is also here that we hear the pain Harper’s sister has gone through after hearing of her transitioning. Not pain for losing a brother but pain for Harper’s anguish she endured hiding her true self. It is an eye-opener for sure.
Another funny scene is when the pair enter a fireworks store and just have to get the biggest, loudest they can find to take with them on their trip. The pair are almost like two naughty kids in a candy store. Of course, they buy a boxful of fireworks and load them into their car. That is the last we see or think about them until close to the end when the pair light them up as they celebrate the end of their journey together. By the time the documentary ends, the pair are preparing to go their separate ways, returning to their respective homes. But it ends in the best way possible, showing that true friendship has no bounds, despite the changes it may go through over time. And it leaves us with a lump in our throats.
VERDICT
A heartfelt, funny, moving, revealing and a wake-up call to the world, Will & Harper will take you through every human emotion there is. It will make you laugh, cry and feel immense anger at what prejudices people have to face and what certain sections of the world’s population can make them feel. Some will show love while others are full of hatred. Their prejudices are vile, disgusting and unnecessary. It is that old problem. People are scared of what they don’t understand and so, they strike out at those different from themselves. It is their own fears that give rise to this hatred and discrimination. People are entitled to their own opinions, right or wrong, but persecuting those different from themselves just shows their narrowmindedness.
But at the end of the day, this documentary is the story of two friends who share an experience that few can compare with. From the outset, we are drawn to both Will Ferrell and Harper Steele like ball bearings to a magnet. Their shared story will touch your heart and leave you with a sense of warmth that we didn’t think we would have after some of what we see during the events. With a closing song from Kristen Wiig which shows footage that didn’t make it into the main documentary and sends us home with a smile on our faces, Will & Harper is one of the best things we’ve seen this year. And might, just might, change attitudes towards the trans community the world over. A brilliantly powerful and touching watch.
Will & Harper is in selected cinemas from Friday and on Netflix on September 27th.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
