‘Free Time’ (2024) Review – Brisk Comedy Is An Easygoing Good Time

Free Time is wholly human and excitingly haphazard. This is a bite-sized comedy, that being meant in the best way, that springboards off of an instinct that we all have: to pick it all up and leave the mundane behind, embracing a life that we may not even be sure of yet, only that it must be better than the boring one we’re living. You’ll likely see yourself in it in some way, but even if you don’t, Free Time is an uncomplicated comedy that is bound to get a few laughs.

There is a clear connection to mammoth mockumentary hallmarks like The Office and Parks and Recreation here, but the slightly more grounded narrative format tightens things up and streamlines this outing in the genre into a nonchalant, well-contained story that should still end up as infinitely rewatchable like the beloved shows in the same bracket. We follow Drew (Colin Burgess) navigating a newly uncertain life after quitting his data analysis job on a whim. It’s a quiet tale that almost exclusively explores conversations, revealing details therein and knotting scenes together with chippy bits of percussion that fill the noiseless gaps of movement.

Burgess, in a role that fully demands a great performance, delivers on every point. He’s constantly carrying scenes as the focus, which is impressive enough, but it’s made even more so when structured dialogue disappears for minutes on end and Burgess is essentially just doing silent comedy. He’s fantastic, outlining the experience as a spearhead for every joke and energetic jolt.

Money is now a considerable issue for Drew, as is just about everything else that he previously worried less about. Yet, one scene of financial woe leads into a helmet-clad biking montage; what is worry if you completely ignore it? Free Time is full of little anecdotes and gleeful looks at uncontained freedom, reflected in the unflinching character of the whole thing.

This extends to the camera, which opts more often for zooms and slow movements in comparison to cuts and expanded coverage. We’re just sort of peering in on this guy’s life through a naturalistic lens of spectation, almost like an accidental documentary executed with surprising precision. The progression, both visually and narratively, is impressive; even scenes that play a bit pointless in the moment serve a greater purpose. The compressed runtime, coming in at just 78 minutes, is utilized to the fullest extent.

Inversely, many scenes feel too quick. For a concept as one-note as this one, asking for much more out of the runtime would be difficult, but a necessary consequence that follows is a certain weightlessness that works to betray the film over time. Though it never fails to entertain, it doesn’t always deliver on engagement, despite Burgess’ best efforts continuing in the lesser sequences.

Additionally, to no fault of Burgess’, not every line of comedy lands. The script tends to drag gags on, cobbling the breezy length with mismatched bits that occasionally cave in on themselves, selling all that they’d managed to earn up to that point and ultimately overstaying their welcome. The best stuff stands out, and though the worst isn’t offensive, it makes a mark nonetheless.

Yet Free Time still works. The relentless onslaught of comedy, good and middling, overshadows the heavier-hitting issues and makes for a worthy experience in the end. It feels like a brisk walk around a bustling city; it’s a little confusing and can be distracting, but there’s always something to latch on to and look at. Free Time is a hypothetical slice of all our lives, bound to brighten your day and make you feel a little better about the things life tends to throw at us. Though it may not earn a spot at the top of your list, it’s pointless not to recommend. A good (free) time for a rainy afternoon.

Free Time is currently playing at the Quad Cinema in New York courtesy of Cartilage Films. The film will expand to the Landmark Westwood Theatre in Los Angeles on March 29th, and additional markets in the following weeks. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8yUnCFSuq0]