TIFF 2024 Review: Will & Harper – “something special”

Courtesy of TIFF

When Will Ferrell got an e-mail from his friend, then known as Andrew Steele, it started simply and casually as “Hey, Will.”  The two, friends for decades after Steele was a head writer on Saturday Night Live during Ferrell’s seven-year stint on the sketch comedy show, were pretty close.  But, this e-mail revealed his friend’s intention to transition to live as a woman.  “Instead of an asshole, I’ll be a bitch,” Steele wrote, singing the e-mail off with, “Name forthcoming.”

That name, is now Harper Steele, as her mother was a classmate of To Kill A Mockingbird author Harper Lee.  But now, Ferrell and Steele each have questions for one another.  Ferrell never has doubts about their continuing friendship, but what are the ‘rules of engagement’ now that everything has changed?  And will Steele be a worse driver now?

What follows is the road trip documentary Will & Harper, by director Josh Greenbaum (Strays, Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar), which is described as Thema and Louise but without death.  For Harper has traveled across America before, prior to her transition, and she loves the country.  She loves little truck stops and bad beer at dive bars.  But now that she is Harper, she wonders whether this country that she loves will still love her back.  At a time when states are passing anti-trans laws and things seem even more divided and hateful, how will things be different?  Ferrell and Steele are about to find out as they travel from New York to Washington D.C., to Indiana, to Texas and California, amongst others.  Through it all they’ll discover things about one another, learn how to navigate their evolving friendship, and also the roads Harper must now travel.

Will & Harper is something special, something to be experienced.  It’s emotional and heartwarming.  Through it all, you will laugh, these are two comedians after all, but you will also cry, you will feel deeply, and you will learn.  You will learn that there are definite challenges that Harper faces, discrimination and hate, but also that there seems to be more understanding and love in the world than we might be led to believe.  There’s more to unite us than to divide us, including the dread of bathing suits, a common hatred amongst most women that inspired many murmurings of agreement in the audience in Toronto, including from myself.

Through their journey Harper will experience many firsts – sitting courtside at an NBA game, watching a dirt track car race in the stands, going to a country bar, swimming in a pool.  Harper knows that having Ferrell there with her offers some modicum of safety, but she sometimes ventures into venues on her own before calling the recognizable actor in, to test the waters.  “I’m not really afraid of these people. I’m afraid of hating myself,” says Steele who feels freer living her authentic self, yet still has an understandable level of caution.

Will & Harper is one of those films you don’t want to end, full of cameos from their friends like Will Forte, Tina Fey, Seth Meyers and Kristen Wiig.  Wiig even composes a wonderful song for the film.  In fact, can we campaign for an Oscar nomination for that one? If, when you inevitably watch the film on Netflix it tries to skip over the credits, don’t let it, or else you’ll miss the comedy and brilliance of Wiig’s lyrics.

But I digress.  It’s just there are so many great moments in Will & Harper that you can just keep talking about this film.  Whether they’re sitting at the side of the Grand Canyon with their beers, or enjoying a California sunset on the beach, this documentary is full of humour and heart.  It’s a story of evolving friendship and the strength of love and allyship.  In a world that seems full of hate, be a Will to the Harpers in your life.  An exemplary example of an excellent human, Ferrell has not only brought recognition to this film but has spent the last many years producing projects that boost stories by up-and-coming filmmakers, especially women (see films like Quiz Lady, Am I OK?).  He’s a guy that uses his power in Hollywood for good, that could change your perspective.

Though, I’m sure even Ferrell himself would not want the focus here to be on him, even if in the course of the film he does go into a restaurant to eat a 72oz steak dressed as Sherlock Holmes.  That’s not the point.  The point is to bring us all together through friendship, through love, through commonality.  If his involvement in Will & Harper brings some recognition of transgender rights, highlights the power of being an ally, or makes some willing to just simply listen, then everything will be worth it.  Will & Harper is one of the best films of the year, and it’s one that could change some minds along the way.

Will & Harper had its International premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival September 11, 2024.  It had its world premiere at Sundance 2024 in January.  It arrives on Netflix September 27, 2024.