My Review Of “A Clown’s Recovery”

“A Clown’s Recovery” follows the journey to recovery of one of today’s best known circus performers in the indie performing arts community. In 2011, on July 2nd, Jelly Boy The Clown faced a real life horror when he awoke to fire engulfing his apartment home. The tragedy left him in life-threatening condition with a long road to recovery. “A Clown’s Recovery” documents that journey and is directed and produced by Jelly Boy’s, a.k.a. Eric Broomfield, brother Matthew Broomfield.

The documentary is a heart-felt, emotional look into Jelly Boy’s tragedy and steady recovery. I was impressed with how much compassion and feeling emanated from the screen as I watched the story unfold through biopic, first person footage accompanied with narrative provided by the brother, Matthew. It is stark reality in the most vulnerable and personable manor. I reviewed a film that Jelly Boy was featured in awhile back, “Freakshow Apocalypse”, a film I did not enjoy but noted the honest, love given to the side-show/circus performance arts community. Now after watching “A Clown’s Recovery” and seeing how tight, and loving that community is and the effect Jelly Boy had on his comrades, I am even more appreciative of both his and all performing artists’ work and lifestyle. It is a passion and art and won that fueled Jelly Boy’s recovery in magnificent detail.

Along with the second person account of Jelly Boy’s journey to wellness, “A Clown’s Recovery” gives some nice first person accounts from family and friends of Jelly Boy that pulls at the heartstrings. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this documentary but I found myself touched by the story, the performance community, and the effect that Jelly Boy had on his “people”. There is also some cool animation graphics mixed with photographs provided some visually compelling actuality to the events and ordeal of Jelly Boy which help make this one really well produced, directed and compelling documentaries.