Well them going to prison isn’t viewed as a joke so there’s that. A lot of comedies are about people getting out of messed up situations. Them being locked up and all the unfair roadblocks they run into are supposed to make you upset. Make you uncomfortable. Make you think. The movie is full of laughs but also tragedies. One inmate had a baby with the wardens daughter but can’t claim the child or they’ll kill him. He loves the wardens daughter and she loves him, but their family can’t happen. Another inmate purposely gets himself killed because he doesn’t think his family back home will love him when they find out his sexual orientation. Eddie and Martin are examples of not losing spirit against insurmountable odds. I say that to say it doesn’t make light of prison or the era in which it takes place. A reminder of how things used to be and that it was not that long ago. Still happens. Most of the time without a happy ending. It is a deep movie disguised as a comedy. Sometimes that’s the best way to get important messages across “A spoon full of sugar, helps the medicine go down.” Can you dig it?