The road movie is a tried and tested Hollywood genre and is ideal for documentaries. Something about the idea of getting in the car and driving down the highway embodies the essence of America and holds the potential for insightful discoveries. However, many such films often only offer superficialities about finding common ground and mutual tolerance. However, a country so full of contrasts and contradictions is an excellent subject for anyone wielding the camera. “Will & Harper” (available on Netflix) is a surprisingly deep entry into the genre. Directed by Josh Greenbaum, known for comedies like “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar,” the documentary begins quite conventionally: Two old friends get in a car on the East Coast and drive west. But these friends are anything but ordinary. Will is Will Ferrell, the well-known comedian and movie star. Harper is Harper Steele, one of Ferrell’s oldest friends, dating back to 1995 on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL), where they both started at the same time. While Ferrell was a cast member, Steele was a writer on the show from 1995 to 2008, serving as head writer for four years. In 2021, Steele sent an email to a close circle of friends in which she came out as a trans woman. Ferrell, wanting to support her, suggested a cross-country road trip. The goal was to re-navigate her relationship with Steele while exploring America. What would they learn? That was what we had to find out. The result is, unsurprisingly, very funny. Both are outstanding comedy talents, with Ferrell being one of America’s most recognizable celebrities – regardless of a state’s political leanings. Steele, on the other hand, faces a new reality. As a young person she had already crossed America, but as a trans woman she encounters a different environment. Ferrell acts as both a companion and, at some points, a defender. Living as a trans woman in America can provoke a variety of reactions.
