WILL & HARPER – Review by Nadine Whitney
Harper Steele was always Harper Steele but for most of her life she wore the persona of Andrew Steele, an Iowa born and raised comedian and writer who worked on Saturday Night Live for many years. That is where Andrew first met a fresh-faced Will Ferrell in 1995 and the two became close friends and collaborators. Andrew was in Will’s corner when other people thought he was a dud addition to the famous sketch show. Andrew and Will were part of a core group of comedians and writers who included Tina Fey, Will Forte, Tim Meadows, Seth Meyers, Kristen Wiig, and Molly Shannon (all of whom make appearances) and so many more. Josh Rosenbaum’s documentary Will & Harper begins with “Famous movie star, Will Ferrell” relating his thirty-year friendship with Andrew and the email he received which caught him unaware – Andrew had transitioned to her authentic self, Harper, and was now living as a woman. Harper hoped Will would still want her in his life.
Immediately Will responded telling Harper he was very happy for her, but they both knew that their friendship was going to be changed by Harper’s transition. They agree to “meet” each other now that Harper is living as a woman and go on a road trip from New York to California. Sixteen days, three thousand miles, and no questions off limits for the pair to find out what is the same and what is different for them both in their new and old relationship.
Harper is afraid that the country she loves so much will not love her now she has transitioned, and Will is her road trip buddy on the touching, hilarious, and emotional ride across America. They discover the depth of their relationship, and the pain and joy Harper has and is experiencing as a woman who has transitioned late in life.
“Instead of an asshole, I’ll be a bitch,” Harper jokes with her dry sense of humour – but underneath what weighs on Harper is: “The biggest question is will I still be loved. I have no doubt Will is my friend, but I’m not Andrew Steele anymore.” For Will the question is now he knows Harper is the person and Andrew was the persona, “Where do we go from here?”
The answer to “Where do we go from here?” is everywhere they can. From a pitstop in NYC where they meet up with fellow SNL alumni and Harper’s teens kids, to Walmart carparks, Indiana basketball games, Washington DC, Illinois, Oklahoma, The Grand Canyon, Texas steak houses, Las Vegas restaurants, the Mojave desert, Harper’s sister’s house in Iowa, and many off the grid small towns just with streets called “Main Street USA” – Will and Harper experience an America with new eyes.
Harper says to Will, “This whole trip you’re taking the heat off me and that’s not real life for trans people,” and to an extent that’s true. Having a beloved comedian around smoothing interactions (not to mention a camera crew) has most people on their best behaviour. However, there is a downside to the celebrity attention Will doesn’t factor in until he sees it in action in Texas. The fishbowl effect is something he’s used to but when the attention begins to sour it puts Harper in danger and he’s devastated.
Harper reminds Will by showing him social media engagement on Twitter and Instagram that people are not, in general, that accepting of trans people – in fact transphobia is endemic and harmful beyond what it does to Harper’s sense of self and safety. It’s being supported as law. A photo opportunity with Indiana governor, Eric Holcomb at the Pacers basketball game has Will inadvertently standing with a man who would like to legislate Harper and other trans people out of existence.
Harper explains to Will her fear, pain, and over fifty years of denying who she was. They meet up with another trans woman, Dana who describes a similar experience. They always knew they were girls but how could they express that as children? Harper talks frankly of her suicidal ideations and the realisation that if she didn’t live as a woman, she wouldn’t live at all.
Will Ferrell is ever the showman. He plays ‘Will Ferrell’ where required, but he is utterly sincere in being there for Harper. He drinks the Natural Light beer she likes so much; he buys an inordinate amount of Pringles, he calls Kristen Wiig and makes her compose a road trip song for them – but mostly he listens to, and looks at, his friend with love. By the time the two reach Los Angeles they have shared secrets, laughed at terrible jokes, cried, and Will has forgotten that the persona of the dead name existed – Harper is all there is.
Will & Harper is a tale of loving who a person is and always was and being curious and honest enough to ask and answer difficult questions on both sides. It’s a wonderful, joyous, heartfelt trip across America and across an unbreakable friendship where Harper sees that she is “allowed to be pretty,” and that she is deeply loved.
