Whoever said growing up was easy? Do we truly grow up, or do we just get better at pretending to be adults? Cooper Raiff, the immensely talented young writer and director, seems to have a deep understanding of this struggle. Returning to themes he explored in S**thouse and Cha Cha Real Smooth, Raiff presents his latest project, Hal & Harper. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, this poignant and heartfelt coming-of-age drama is both deeply moving and profoundly sad. It also stands as Raiff’s most ambitious work to date, blending emotional maturity with bold storytelling.

The premise

Cooper stars as Hal, who we meet at a micro-college party, where he hooks up with a girl. How he navigates his feelings for her the morning after reveals his communication struggles right away. At the same time, we are introduced to Harper (Lili Reinhart), who is reassessing her relationship with her longtime girlfriend, Jesse (Alyah Chanelle Scott). Jesse, visiting after some time apart, is unaware that Harper is developing feelings for her coworker, Audrey (Addison Timlin).

Despite Cooper Raiff’s quick, sharp editing and Doug Emmett’s steady camerawork, a strong connection between these two siblings is clear from the start, as they seem trapped in a codependent cycle. Soon, we meet their father (Mark Ruffalo), and through occasional flashbacks, we learn that the two siblings were forced to grow up quickly and largely on their own after the death of their mother. Their father, now in a live-in relationship with his pregnant girlfriend, Kate (Betty Gilpin), has decided to sell their childhood home.

Hal & Harper is essentially about these siblings trying their best at the present. They can be selfish, gruelling, extremely rude and suffocating at times, but at the end of the day, Hal and Harper realize that they only have each other. Cooper, who has such a gift for writing dialogue, instils the early episodes with a keenness to know more about these people and what they are unable to express. The short scenes interconnecting Hal and Harper are tremendous; their desperation, anxieties, and fears so palpable. With Ruffalo's character, who is in depression, Cooper's handling is careful and emotionally agile. There's a fascinating sequence where the father loses it during a visit to their empty home up for sale and breaks a wall. The hole in it traverses, observes their lives a decade ago to witness where they were, and returns to the emptiness of the present.

Adults cosplay as kids

An intriguing creative choice in Hal & Harper is the decision to place the adult siblings in situations from their childhood, with Cooper and Lili navigating primary school alongside a group of kids, attempting to make a few friends. While this narrative gag is interesting, it drags on a bit too long, occasionally slowing down the story’s momentum. Despite the leads’ earnestness in these scenes, the repetitive flashbacks of them as children can feel a little indulgent at times.

These siblings had to grow up quickly, with Harper, in particular, maturing faster than Hal. With their father distant and lost in his own despair, they relied on each other for emotional support. That bond is timeless. As Harper, Lili masterfully carries the emotional weight of the scenes, delivering a nuanced and open-hearted performance that beautifully complements Hal’s carefree, childlike wonder. The chemistry between Lili and Cooper is remarkable. Mark Ruffalo is perfectly cast as the father, who struggles to balance being a parent and a partner.

Hal & Harper further showcases Cooper’s talent as a writer and director, capturing the essence of his generation. These characters feel strikingly real, with their temperamental highs and lows, never overstating their inner struggles. Cooper allows them to be flawed, insipid, and gregarious, letting them figure things out at their own pace. Sometimes, that’s all we can ask for.

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