The new Netflix documentary explores the power of trans allyship and trans stories
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY NETFLIX
Comedian and actor Will Ferrell, known for films like Anchorman and Step Brothers, is hitting the road in a new Netflix film with his long-time friend Harper Steele. Having met on the set of SNL three decades ago, this road trip is not just to catch up over some beers. It’s a poignant, heartwarming, and often tear-jerking voyage of discovery.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Harper came out to Will as a trans woman. Their new film Will & Harper takes the pair on a road trip across America for them to reconnect, learn, and discuss what this new stage of Harper’s life looks like.
Directed by Josh Greenbaum, this documentary feels a lot more like sitting in the backseat behind two old friends. The intimate conversations the pair share convey the closeness of their friendship, and audiences are able to see Will Ferrell in an almost new light. Centred around the power of friendship, the film doesn’t shy away from hard topics like surgery, depression, and therapy.
One of the poignant threads of the film is Harper’s quest to reclaim the spaces she had enjoyed before her transition. As a frequent road trip fan, we see beautiful moments where Harper is able to return to her favourite spots like dive bars, able to enjoy them truly as herself. There are also a number of celebrity cameos from the likes of Kristen Wiig, highlighting the beautiful support system around Harper.
However, the film doesn’t shy away from some of the harder realities of life in America as a trans woman. We see the ugly face of transphobia when the pair head to Texas, reminding us of just how unsafe and difficult it can be to navigate spaces as a trans person in Republican areas.
One of the more harrowing moments in the film comes when Harper takes Will to the house in California that she had bought before her transition. Harper explains that she had isolated herself there in order to dress the way she wanted without anyone seeing her. In the truly heartbreaking exchange, the audience feels the same loss of words that Will expresses. Despite the overall happy note that the film ends on, Will & Harper is a reminder of how much further we have to go in order to protect and support our trans siblings.
You can watch Will & Harper on Netflix on 27 September.
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