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Cooper Raiff’s ‘Hal & Harper’ Premieres on MUBI With Two Episodes, Weekly Through Nov. 30

Early reviews praise its intimate performances.

Overview

  • The eight-episode limited drama follows adult siblings whose past resurfaces when their father plans to sell their childhood home and prepare for a new baby.
  • Cooper Raiff creates, writes, directs and stars opposite Lili Reinhart, with Mark Ruffalo as the widowed father and Betty Gilpin as his partner.
  • Reviews note a formal device in which adult actors portray their characters as grade-schoolers, using flashbacks to bind past and present.
  • Critics describe a naturalistic, character-first approach, highlighting nuanced work from Reinhart and Gilpin.
  • The Los Angeles Times review reports a pregnancy storyline that may involve Down syndrome, which frames the father’s self-examination.