Will & Harper (2024)

Harper (formerly Alex) has transitioned to life as a woman. When living life as a man, one of her great pleasures was to road trip and visit holes-in-the-wall along the way. It occurs to Will Ferrell (one of her friends) that Harper might no longer feel safe doing this on her own, so he suggests a cross-country roadtrip together.

This would've been a fantastic movie if it just focused on the conversations in the car. We learn about Harper's loneliness and a desire to just be allowed to be herself -- even behind closed doors where no one else can see her. Harper's stories put me in mind of the truism "you are who you are when no one's looking" because it's clear that she's been a woman in every moment she could snatch for herself. 

But this film looks beyond the chat between friends and expands to the response from outsiders. Though most people are lovely, there's a bit of a question mark as to whether that's because they're excited to meet Will Ferrell. Many of the patrons of a certain Texas Steakhouse can go fuck themselves, though. Genuinely moving: more hopeful than sobering.

B+