December 27, 2024
Big Gay Movie Roundup: 13 Notable Films from 2024
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 16 MIN.
Will & Harper
This combination of road trip movie and documentary by filmmaker Josh Greenbaum finds funnyman Will Ferrell meeting an old friend all over again when former "Saturday Night Live" writer Harper Steele reaches out to him with news of her gender transition. Filmed over two weeks in 2023, "Will & Harper" follows the pair as they amble from place to place (including some viciously transphobic locales), even as trans lives and gender-affirming care become one more political football for cynical policymakers. The people they meet seem accepting, even in a bar with a "Fuck Biden" flag – but a glance at the social media response after Ferrell makes a display of eating a huge steak at a Texas restaurant, with Harper sitting across the table from him, paints a very different picture of hatred and viciousness.
Will Ferrell may be more the household name of the two, but the doc doesn't shy away from witnessing his missteps and his tentativeness, as well as his unwavering acceptance and support. Harper, for her part, is honest about her apprehensions, but unfailingly courageous – and inspiringly gracious.
"Will & Harper" is streaming at Netflix.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
