‘Independent TV Is Not a Thing Yet’
Raiff wrote and directed Hal & Harper, which started as a simple idea he explored in a web series during his college years. The series, featuring him and his then-girlfriend, focused on siblings reflecting on how their father’s actions forced them to mature quickly. He expanded this into a show that jumps between their childhood and adult lives, revealing the origins of their unhealthy, overly-reliant relationship. (Adult and childhood versions of Hal and Harper are played by Cooper Raiff and Madelyn Cline, with Cline sporting a beard for the younger scenes.) The show beautifully captures tender moments between characters who genuinely care for each other but struggle to express it, and features strong performances from Cline, Mark Ruffalo, and Betty Gilpin, who plays the father’s current pregnant partner, Kate. Raiff believes this kind of realistic, character-driven storytelling is lacking in today’s entertainment. He explains, “The goal of filmmaking is to show relatable people and experiences. It can be hard to confront ourselves, so it’s sometimes easier to see our own struggles reflected in a movie without realizing it.”
