The Happiest Place on Earth, Meet the Happiest Man on Earth

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MOVIE REVIEW
Billy Flanigan: The Happiest Man on Earth
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Genre: Documentary, Biography
Year Released: 2022
Runtime: 1h 24m
Director(s): Cullen Douglas
Writer(s): Cullen Douglas
Where To Watch: Releasing on Videro on Demand October 7, 2022

RAVING REVIEW: 40 years and going strong, the lifelong dedication to making people happy and spreading a positive message.

Billy Flanigan is a rare breed, a person who truly wants to make others happy even after the battles and struggles he’s had to overcome in his life. This documentary shares the story of Billy Flanigan and other Disney cast members that have had to make their stories one year at a time.

The film dives into Flanigan’s passion in life and what he’s had to do to make it a reality. This isn’t a story of easy successes; it’s a story of dedication and desire. I didn’t know much about this before screening it; I did know that it had something related to Disney (from the photo.) Traditionally it seems that Disney documentaries focus on animation, and while there isn’t anything wrong with that, I feel like those are generally stories I’ve seen.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this was the story of a Disney cast member/performer. Not only that but one that has been working for them for over 40 years and fought long and hard to ensure that his story continues. Recently, many of the films I’ve been watching were shot during COVID; many started before and continued after things were “better.” This one includes COVID as part of the story.

As I mentioned, the desire to not be self-absorbed takes a particular person. Sometimes your life dictates where you go and what you do. Sometimes you control that because of an experience or a moment in your life that changes you. Flanigan started young, showing his love for performances and how he liked to make others' lives better. Even at his lowest moments, he always manages to shine through and think about everyone around him.

This film is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, even if there are moments when you can feel the struggle of the people being interviewed.

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