Reel Review: Hal & Harper Reinforces Cooper Raiff’s Indie Success with Touching Family Focused Series
Cooper Raiff has returned to the festival circuit but this time with an independent series. His directing, writing, and acting capabilities took off after the success of Cha Cha Real Smooth and Shithouse that both garnered wide support after their festival premieres. This time, Raiff brings forth a familial story with very personal ties that are mapped throughout the series’ eight episode run.
Hal & Harper details the lives of two intricately involved siblings dealing with grief as they grow older. Harper (Lili Reinhart) is the older and more seemingly put together sister who has a full time job and long term partner dealing with an emptiness she cannot seem to fill. Hal (Cooper Raiff) is the lost college student who lacks motivation and the ability to form strong connections to anyone outside of his family. They make up a codependent duo that rely on one another far too often as seen in Hal’s many visits to Harper’s house. The two attempt to build fulfilling lives that feel stunted due to their mother’s death and unprocessed grief that even their father (Mark Ruffalo) has not come to terms with.
While independent television is still relatively new, Cooper Raiff proves that its success is tangible and much needed. Where network television relies on procedurals and guaranteed widespread hits, streaming has created a space for more experimental and different work to shine. Hal & Harper is proof that independent creatives can put together something incredibly impactful without big budgets and conforming to studio needs. Many times, an independent voice is needed to put forth something new and exciting that cannot be accomplished in the length of a film. Television offers a different structure and the ability to explore more complex issues.
Raiff is a creative mind that has some innate ability to create characters that are so complex yet understandable. They don’t always make the right decisions, but they live in a space that is rooted in reality. His ability to hone in on such a specific tone and voice makes it so easy to buy into his characters and stories. His work feels like a warm hug around all the parts of yourself that feel insecure and alone.
This series has an element of dual timelines but it is executed in such a unique way. Instead of recasting Hal and Harper as kids, Raiff and Reinhart play themselves as kids. As a storytelling device, it allows us to easily recognize these characters, but also offers a metaphorical layer. These characters are reflecting upon their childhood as adults with a new sense of understanding. This also parallels how stunted the siblings are in their maturity due to such a big loss early in their lives. This tactic might not work for everyone, but by the final episode it is tied up extremely well.
These siblings have such a strong bond that is misconstrued as closeness when in reality it is a form of grief and trauma. The two individually have problems that they need to sort through in order to be better people, but it has an added layer of difficulty as they are constantly trying to help the other. There are aspects of these characters that everyone can relate to no matter who you are. Their messiness and flaws are all too clearly reflective of how difficult your twenties can be as you try to grow, mature, and form a fruitful life for yourself.
Cooper Raiff is an absolute creative force that should have his hand in so many projects, however it is clear that this was an intensely personal story for him. His creative vision and execution is something that not many young people are capable especially in this market, but his work is worthy of praise. This Sundance Film Festival premiere should garner even more buzz for the series and hopefully will be picked up for distribution soon. Hal & Harper is a story of love, lose, and codependence. In a world where empathy seems to be scarce, this series is a reminder of how hard everyone is trying to just survive, let alone thrive.
