Will & Harper Review – 'An affectionate road-trip buddy-movie'

The buddy-comedy has been around almost as long as cinema itself.

Even if that's not quite true, there have been a ridiculous amount over the years - and a fairly remarkable number of them have been good.

From the Marx Brothers to Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello to Morecambe and Wise, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to Thelma and Louise, and Shaun of the Dead to Hot Fuzz, there's something timeless about the format that just works.

The formula doesn't often change much either.

You take two fairly disparate and different characters, put them together in some unlikely scenario, and then you just sit back and let the laughs happen.

That's certainly the case with Will & Harper, an affectionate road-trip buddy-movie from director Tom Harper that is amiable enough to be enjoyable, but perhaps a little too slight to be truly memorable.

Will (Daniel Dae Kim) is a buttoned-up documentary filmmaker who has to travel from San Francisco to Chicago for his father's funeral.

Harper (Maika Monroe) is a free-spirited waitress who needs to get to New Orleans as quickly as possible.

They meet at a roadside diner and decide to team up for the journey, despite their very different personalities.

Will & Harper is a well-made film with strong performances from its two leads.

Kim is particularly good as the uptight Will, who gradually loosens up over the course of the trip.

Monroe is also good as the more carefree Harper, who helps Will to see the world in a new light.

The film's script is full of witty dialogue and funny moments.

The supporting cast is also good, with Blythe Danner and David Morse providing some nice comic relief.

However, Will & Harper is a little too slight to be truly memorable.

It's a pleasant enough way to spend 90 minutes, but it's not a film that you're likely to remember for very long.

The film's biggest problem is that it doesn't really have anything new to say.

The buddy-comedy formula is a well-worn one, and Will & Harper doesn't really do anything to reinvent it.

Overall, Will & Harper is an enjoyable enough film, but it's not a must-see.

If you're looking for a light-hearted comedy to watch on a lazy afternoon, then it's worth checking out.

But if you're looking for something more substantial, then you might want to look elsewhere.