Hal & Harper

Hypnotised by the strong visual language and creative story structure about young adult siblings living on fragmented memories of a mother who abandon them at an early age, leaving their bipolar father to bring them up. The story picks up with surprising news from their father (another brilliant performance by Mark Ruffalo) that unconsciously triggers the dominos to fall, as each one struggles to deal with their own dilemma, but also attempting to be there for each other. Creator, Cooper Raiff, not only plays Hal, but wrote and directed this powerful series of a fractured family unit dealing with the dismantled past while rebuilding a blurry future...

Watched at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

Cooper Raiff created two movies that are some really smart and funny movies about men, relationships, and identity and this new upcoming series is Raiff's biggest project to date. For the first four episodes premiered at Sundance, Raiff still has a pretty good grip of what he explores on. Comedy, men, relationships, and bonds together in the nature settings. Unfortunately, unlike his previous works, I really didn't care much for this one.

Throughout, Raiff does apply some of his usual approaches and style with the themes, characters, and ideas. I do appreciate some of the themes Raiff was exploring but I found myself not really liking the characters, as unlike being funny and interesting, I mostly found the characters to be kind of boring and at times, unbearable. Almost as if they were annoying and filled with narcissism that makes them uninteresting.

With some of the pacing being off, the uses of cliches on the writing and tone makes it more unrealistic. Including some certain choices on the designs and portray being a bit weird that doesn't fully work. The performances of the cast are solid as everyone gives good emotions and expresses. But Raiff seems to kind of stretch out the narrative with moments that felt a bit overlong and overbearing.

Even though this is only four episodes and not completed, I personally found myself feeling as if this could have been another movie and it would probably be better than a show. Don't get me wrong, I like Raiff and I wish him very well with his newfound career and works. I love to see him keep going but this one just wasn't for me.

Hal & Harper isn't just a show-it's an experience. From the very first episode, I felt pulled into a deeply personal and emotional world. The series blends memory, trauma, and reality in a way that's both poetic and haunting. The transitions between scenes and timelines are executed with such precision and feeling, it's like watching thought and emotion unfold on screen.

The dialogue is a highlight-raw, honest, and beautifully vulnerable. It's rare to find writing that feels this real. I felt seen, understood, and strangely comforted by the characters' openness. Harper's arc especially resonated with me-her longing, her silence, and her need for safety are portrayed with stunning depth.

The visual symbolism, like the scenes of adult Harper and Hal attending school, spoke volumes about grief and emotional stagnation. It's subtle, but incredibly powerful once you catch it.

In short, this show doesn't just tell a story-it feels it. Hal & Harper is for anyone who loves introspective, emotionally layered storytelling. It stays with you long after it ends.

They say 'holding hands is more important than crashing,' and in Cooper Raiff's messy, saccharine, beautiful, and self-aware series, Hal & Harper-less a show and more a feeling-you'll get a raw, bittersweet taste of just how true that is. It's delivered by characters stripped of their halos and laid bare, as Cooper Raiff's brand of bittersweetness Cha-Cha Real Smooth right over you.

Before you dive in, ditch the cynical quips. Unless your spirit's a brick wall, incapable of a raw whimper, hit 'off.' Otherwise, prepare to be gently moved by a story you think you know, handled with immense grace. In less capable hands, this could've drowned in melodrama, a real snooze-fest. But Cooper Raiff and crew, boosted by amazing performances, kick it way past its "seen-it-before" script.

Character Dives 1. Hal's Heart: Cooper Raiff, as Hal, injects a refreshing dose of himself into the familiar indie archetype. He's the ever-present brother, a sweet subversion of the usual dynamic. He'll grill Harper about her phone calls, a move some might call "overprotective" or "butthurt snob." But honestly, who gives a damn in this cynical world?

2. Ruffalo's Raw Grief: Mark Ruffalo is laid utterly bare as the single, grief-stricken dad, clinging to Nietzsche's abyss. For him, shower time is mostly pissed-off grief and anxious contemplation. Sure, he even has "SAFE" sex with a hooker, but it's undeniably sad. You'll feel pity and want to hug him, especially after Episode 6 where his grief is like his second skin.

3. Harper's Heartbreak: Lili Reinhart's Harper is a perennial misfit, a "slimeball" at times, yet with a fragile heart. Her dad and brother top her "FAVORITES" contacts. Like any normal human, she finds her own bathroom solitude, doing her "usual thing" (haha, masturbating). With sapphic relationships brewing, she also carries immense grief. Exquisitely beautiful, fragmented moments, like her imagining her baby brother in the bathtub, subtly reveal memory as a fluid, unpredictable beast.

Luckily, Hal (Cooper Raiff) is spared any bathroom-based existential ponderings. My theory? He'd be too busy "self-caring with his pecker," brainstorming, doomscrolling, or sparring with an arthouse snob. LOL.

It was genuinely funny when Hal, bruised from seeing his Asian chick with another guy, picks a fight and gets beaten. And I absolutely loved the "Elephant Man" reference. Of course, RIP David Lynch-I hope he's enjoying cherry pie and damn fine coffee wherever he is.

Another favorite cinematic nod is Cooper's desperate "Mission Impossible" movie night failing as Ruffalo and Betty Gilpin doze off and Reinhart looks bored. Cooper's raw reaction is precisely mine; my recent F1 marathons left me feeling the same way.

For literary nods: from Gabriel García Márquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" (seriously, read it if you love books, or check out the Netflix adaptation) to a sharp Sylvia Plath name-drop. Nothing says sibling intimacy like shared existential dread and literary flair.

Also, The episodes just start-no picturesque setups, just immediate, unvarnished momentum. The sound design is expertly amplified too.

The "School Stuff" & Downside: While Raiff and Lili Reinhart "cosplaying" as kids might be "cringe" for some, Raiff somehow makes it cool, avoiding typical Hollywood clichés and even finding magic in school conversations. He ditches flashy timelines for raw honesty, avoiding Milking the "I WAS THERE, I FEEL SEEN" pandering.

The downside: The tidy full circle in the last two episodes might be an "OMG FEELING" for some. I felt they wasted too much time (the Indian friend's house detour, music overkill). The non-linear storytelling is its strength and slight downfall, sometimes strangling itself. I personally enjoyed the approach, but a bittersweet ending would have been preferable to the Hollywood "TADA, Baby!" and overly convenient coincidences.

Nevertheless, this series might not be for everyone, but it's largely impressive. Even by indie standards, I highly recommend watching it! There's genuinely something for everyone, including some nice gags. I particularly enjoyed the writing at Hal's friend's granny's funeral-though I'd hoped for more gallows humor! I'm really excited to see what Cooper Raiff does next.

I think the story is too disconnected to be impactful with the choice of storytelling they used. If this was a spin off to something and the characters had a template for people to follow maybe this would be better but it just doesn't work.

This is like some sundance garbage that's too convoluted to follow but everyone praises it as art because it makes them feel using film techniques. This would have made more sense as an anthology as it's main goal doesn't seem to be telling a story, the main goal is to invoke a feeling.

This would have made more sense as an anthology as it's main goal doesn't seem to be telling a story, the main goal is to invoke a feeling.