Free To Laugh

Free To Laugh is an engaging, heartwarming, and surprisingly hilarious 2016 documentary that brilliantly captures a unique journey into the heart of the American legal system and the healing power of comedy. The film, directed and produced by Lara Everly, explores the incredible story of comedy as a tool for communication and the powerful influence it can have in even the most unexpected of situations.

The documentary follows the journey of an eclectic group of women who have been recently released from prison and are attempting to reestablish their lives in the outside world. These women enroll in a comedy workshop, run by professional comedians, where they are coached towards the seemingly daunting task of developing a stand-up comedy routine.

Throughout the film, Everly weaves a hard-hitting portrait of the realities of post-incarceration life for women in America. Using an artistic lens and through deeply personal interviews, she explores the wide range of emotions that these women experience as they try to reintegrate into society. The audience witnesses their pain, challenges, fears, hopes, struggle to belong and tears, but more importantly, their courage, resilience, and determination to not only survive but thrive within their new-found freedom.

The power of Free To Laugh lies not only in its emotional depth but also in its ability to highlight the transformational power of laughter. It emphasizes how humor can be utilized as a tool for overcoming adversity, healing emotional wounds, building self-esteem, and ultimately, connecting humans across vast divides. Through the creative process of writing and performing comedic material based on their own life experiences, the women in the documentary learn to harness their voices and break stereotypes, transcending their pasts to create brighter futures.

The comedy workshop emerges as a powerful space of healing, self-expression, and empowerment where these women not only find their comedic voices but also reformulate their self-perceptions and redefine their identities beyond their prison experiences. It provides them with the liberty to share their stories, cathartically express their truths, connect with each other, and illuminate the human experience in its entirety that is often overshadowed by the stigmatizing prison record.

Free To Laugh brings to the screen an unusual blend of humor and hardship, defying conventional wisdom about what post-prison lives look like. Comedy’s historically vital role in challenging societal norms, questioning power structures, and humanizing society’s outcasts comes to light in a unique and powerful way through these narratives.

Director Everly has crafted a remarkably insightful documentary, with a captivating premise and compelling execution. Her chosen narrative form, which moves fluently between comedic relief, personal revelation, and societal insight also makes this film a very engaging watch. As the participants' comedic skills develop over time, so does their confidence and sense of self, offering a poignant testament to the healing potential of laughter.

The cinematography and editing create an appealing visual narrative that seamlessly combine the individual interviews, group workshops, and performance snippets. In less skilful hands, this mix could have been incongruous, but under Everly's oversight, it becomes a cogent, appealing narrative that effectively communicates its central themes.

The light-hearted yet powerful essence of Free To Laugh makes it an entertainment piece that also offers valuable social commentary and psychological insight. This documentary teaches us that comedy can be more than just a source of amusement; it can be a source of salvation, a means to voice displeasure, a tool to connect individuals, and a platform to tear down societal tropes.

Free To Laugh is a provocative, inspiring, and thought-provoking film filled with laughter, insight, and real human stories which remind us to perceive individuals beyond their past mistakes. This movie proves that even in the face of deeply ingrained social stigmas and personal challenges, the human spirit's power and resilience can break through using the universal language of laughter. It portrays the joyous proclamation of freedom through the exhilarating and liberating act of laughter and is a must-watch for those seeking an uplifting, enlightening, and uniquely humorous cinematic experience.