Andonia Goergen
Staff Writer
The locally created and produced film, “Care to Laugh,” does in fact bring laughter, as well as compassion and humanity to the big screen.
“Care to Laugh” is a beautifully directed and filmed documentary showing how the power of comedy can help outweigh difficult times. It is the perfect mix of lighthearted humor and sensitive topics.
Presented by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Studios, the documentary was directed by Julie Getz. The Vice President of AARP Studios, Jeffrey Eagle, was the executive producer. It is the first original movie that AARP Studios produced.
The movie was presented at the Hermosa Beach Community Center on Dec. 8 for the South Bay Music and Film Festival. Following the viewing, star of the film Jesus Trejo, Getz, and Eagle held a Q&A panel. Prior to that, it was also shown at the Heartland International Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Chicago Comedy Film Festival and Doc NYC. It was chosen as the Hiscox Audience Award Winner at the Austin Film Festival and won the Best of Fest and Best Director in the Feature Category awards at the Chicago Comedy Film Festival.
“Care to Laugh” focuses on Jesus Trejo, a rising comedian from Long Beach, who balances caring for his aging parents with pursuing his dreams of becoming a comedian. Trejo works for the family’s landscaping business during the day, while performing stand up gigs at colleges and open mics at night. His parents are the inspiration for his jokes, making Trejo unique from competing comics.
Throughout “Care to Laugh,” viewers witness aspects of Trejo’s life with different styles of videography. The movie switches between a professionally filmed documentary style, “vlogs” also known as video logs, and videos of comedy sets he performed, adding variety and depth to the film. Trejo does an excellent job at charming the audience with his humor and charisma, while drawing sympathy from viewers.
“I have two little ones at home, ages 72 and 73,” is a line Trejo repeatedly uses in his comedy sets, referencing his role as a caregiver to his parents. Not only does Trejo incorporate his effortless humor into the movie, but he incorporates intimate moments between him and his parents that the 40 million unpaid family caregivers in the United States can strongly relate to. “Care to Laugh” is a great depiction of family values and doesn’t just touch the hearts of those who serve as caregivers, but for everyone who watches it.
Those who consider themselves fans of comedy will recognize some familiar faces throughout the documentary, including famous comedians such as Pauly Shore and Russell Peters. There is a bit of vulgarity in the movie, but is nothing too shocking and does not take away from the overall message of the film. Viewers get to see behind the scenes of what it is like performing stand-up and the difficulties with trying to make it in the comedy business, which is very eye-opening for those who are not familiar with the industry.
The emotional scenes of Trejo helping his parents with everyday tasks, such as walking up and down the stairs of their apartment safely, brings an element of authenticity to the table. This documentary brings attention to topics that are not widely addressed and portrayed in the media, and it is done in a phenomenal way.
“Care to Laugh” is exclusively playing at film festivals, but is expected to be released for distribution in 2019.
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