Will Ferrell first met the Saturday Night Live writer, Steele in 1995. Their comedic bond was forged through sketches that you still remember fondly, with Ferrell donning everything from a too small Speedo to a too big cowbell.
Now, thirty years into a deep friendship that’s even extended into each other’s wives and children, Steele tells Ferrell that she has transitioned to a woman called Harper. How does this change their friendship? After a period of self-isolation, how will Harper handle car races, fireworks stands, and a Texas roadhouse that isn’t used to welcome what they see was a 61-year-old trans woman in a dress? These are all things enjoyed by her former self.
And so, the set up for this surprisingly moving road/buddy, doc was born. The two meet up in New York city and hit the open road, driving cross-country to Los Angeles. Director Josh Greenbaum catches their intimate conversations in the car and places them in set-ups for maximum drama or sentiment.
I didn’t care for the set-ups – they seemed like contrivances to get rednecks and looky-loo’s to spice the action. In truth, it’s the one-one-one conversations that are, in my view, a service to anyone who has a transgender friend or acquaintance, and isn’t sure what the protocol is for everything from jokes to how to respond to people who are not bad, just genuinely curious how to proceed (one former therapist they just happen to run across at the Grand Canyon lookout has some particularly good insight and relevant questions).
So, Harper is getting to see the country she loves for the first time as her true self, and Will is our guide to being a decent person. We cis-gendered folks are inevitably going to make awkward mistakes that mean no intentional harm. This is a way to warmly address the uneasiness with people we like.
We are so used to seeing Ferrell screwing around at volume 11, that it is almost shocking and certainly touching to see him brough to genuine tears a time or two.
In the end, it’s a fascinating set of conversations over a 16-day trip, along with some silliness and many insights. Each of these two have quite willingly become sources of good information from their respective genders.
I’m glad I took the ride.
Will & Harper is in some theaters and premieres on Netflix September 27th
