TL;DR: Absolutely fascinating. Joy & pain. Humour & reflection.
I found this moving, joyful, and very uncomfortable in places. Much the same range of feelings that I frequently experience in girl-mode, especially when venturing outside of places that I know for sure will be welcoming.
Will Ferrell takes a road trip with an old friend who has just written to him announcing that she has transitioned and is now living as a woman. “Hey Will. Something I need you to know”. They have been friends for a long time, having worked together on the US TV show Saturday Night Live, but how does this change things for them?
They take a road trip together, and that trip is this documentary. All 1h55 of it.
Harper is no super-glamorous drag queen type. She has transitioned at the age of 61 and just wants to live her life. She dresses conservatively, and she does not want to stand out.
There is much joy and sadness in this road trip. Lots of laughs too. The pair work through what this means for their friendship, and discuss the reasons and history for Harper’s transition. Some of the sadness comes from the long internal struggle Harper has had over a very long period before coming to terms with herself and taking the plunge. We get some insights into the pain and despair, the suicidal thoughts, and the various ways considered of trying to square to circle.
Across the country, most places and people are welcoming. But not all. There are times when, to an extent, Harper is shielded by Will’s prominance. There are so many moments of joy; borrowing a young lad’s unicycle, visiting Harper’s old haunts, meeting Harper’s children and hearing their reactions and views.
The section filmed in Texas is very uncomfortable to watch, especially when they show some hate-ridden social media postings. Harper feels very uncomfortable, but Will is affected by this too – feeling that he has perhaps let her down and led her into an unsafe environment.
The short section where Harper describes being in a gun shop, looking for a gun to buy whilst feeling suicidal, is extremely disturbing. I suspect this, by itself, may be behind the 15 Certificate.
It’s a worthwhile watch. It brings some of the problems into view in a way which many people may never have experienced, realised, or considered before. It’s respectful, it isn’t exploitative, and it makes for good viewing.
Sophie Baskerville 