Will & Harper (2024)
★★★
This review may contain spoilers.
Okay, so I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t love it. And just to be clear upfront, this is all just my opinion—art is subjective, all that stuff.
As a story, this documentary is absolutely inspiring, heartwarming, and wholesome. It’s really nice to see Will out there, proudly showing love and support for his friend of nearly thirty years, as some people on Letterboxd have pointed out. The film touches on really heavy subjects—suicidal ideations, body dysmorphia, self-doubt, and self-acceptance—which can often make a documentary feel hard to watch. But this one manages to address those darker themes with sophistication and care. We hear about Harper’s struggles throughout her life, particularly during the pandemic, and while it doesn't delve deeply into the daily hate that trans people face, it acknowledges it without shying away from the reality of it, which is important.
If this doc had solely focused on Harper’s journey, it would’ve been a powerful story all on its own. I’m a sucker for self-acceptance narratives, and Harper’s journey is no exception. Her story is one of profound growth and resilience.
That said, my main issue with the documentary comes with the "Will" of it all. It creates this weird dynamic for me. I have no doubt that this road trip for Will and Harper was emotional, cathartic, and impactful. That final scene where they reflect on how unforgettable this trip was? I’ve been on road trips that I’ll never forget either, so I get it. But the documentary, in my opinion, doesn’t quite allow the audience to fully feel the scale of those emotions. I feel like there was stuff that was cut or left out that might have made the doc feel more cohesive or less scripted.
The behind-the-scenes footage shown at the end, set to the original song, almost felt like the short version of what the doc was trying to convey—a fun, emotional, self-reflective road trip. The pacing in some parts felt off, almost as if the scenes were too choreographed. Some moments seemed too "staged," like the way certain scenes would start with characters waiting for a line to be said or just asking the question outright, which created this unnatural rhythm.
I only noticed this because of a scene in a Walmart parking lot, where the two of them riff on Pringles cans. It’s such a small and trivial moment, but it’s the one that really stuck with me. It felt unscripted, real, and natural—like two friends sharing a private, random joke. That kind of organic, spontaneous moment really made the documentary feel alive in a way that the more scripted scenes didn’t.
While I understand the doc was meant to explore both the serious and lighthearted aspects of their journey, I think there was a missed opportunity to dive deeper into their friendship—those moments of genuine fun and connection. The unicycle bit, for example, felt almost too staged or a huge coincedence that then felt a bit staged, it was weird.
In the end, I liked the documentary, and Harper’s stories are heart-wrenching and emotional. But I don’t think the film fully lets us sit with the weight of those emotions. Whether it was the nature of the questions asked, or the parasocial dynamic that sometimes felt present, I didn’t always feel like I was able to experience the depth of what these two were going through together and it kind of felt by design in a weird way too. like they wanted to tell the story they wanted to tell while not delving too deep.
Again, this is just my personal feeling. There’s a lot to appreciate here, but I can’t help wanting more—more of the candid moments, more of the fun, quirky interactions, and a deeper emotional payoff.
notes below
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- I really like that when she is talking about the letter being hard to send it cuts the will for his reaction.
- the music is a little bland, very stock
- I just think the concept of yelling through the white house fence at Joe even though he isn't even out there, that is really funny.
- the gorgeous shot of them driving at sunset.
- this film captures this naturistic dialogue of friends just chatting, making things that usually aren't funny, funny, like the pringles, the giggling, the getting along.
- the lady who looked at Will Farrell and then realized who he is and took a picture is the real mvp.
- Kristen's face when she is trying to take in all there ideas for the theme song lol.
- dude there back window rolls down??
- the kid who let them borrow the unicycle was just like yeah sure
- watching them do bits together is awesome.
- they choose some pretty striking visuals for when the title cards appear.
- this thought of her talking about how she wishes she transition years ago because she would feel more accepted but realizes that if she had she wouldn't have met all the friends that she has now is pretty poignant.
- she is straight vogue-ing in this grand canyon shot.
- I like this reoccurring motif of them sitting in chairs and drinking a beer, gives it a out on the porch feel.
- "I am very fortunate to be sitting across the table from Bette Midler old manger"
- that is some striking imagery, her sitting outside the house on the balcony in the clothes that she bought at night because she is afraid to be seen during the day, wow. powerful words.
- he got a classic glazed donut lol.
- I can't imagine how life changing this trip must have been for Will and Harper
- why didn't they put the song in the film? did I just miss it?
- the outtakes look fun, feel like we should have seen some of them.
