4 stars
Documentarians Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg provide an uncompromising glimpse into the personal and professional life of comedian and red-carpet mainstay Joan Rivers, a woman clinging stubbornly and steadfastly to the pop-culture bandwagon.
Cast: Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Larry A. Thompson, Bari Pearlman, Edgar Rosenberg, Kathy Griffin, Don Rickles
I didn't really know a lot about Joan Rivers before the movie and I guess I still don't. I did learn this, she is a workaholic that should be taken more seriously. No seriously, no one has the right to rag on her without watching this documentary. She is a very funny comedian who deserves more respect. This is more to her than just the red carpet.
As far as the documentary goes, it is entertaning. Which is sometimes a hard feat for documentaries. On the other hand, it wasn't entertaining because of the approach that the directors took, it was entertaining because of Joan Rivers herself. So I guess if you are interested in making successful documentaries, don't use this one as a model.
Joan Rivers is hilarious. But what makes her even more hilarious is the fact that it is natural, no one writes her jokes. Combined with her perfect timing, her writing abilities are remarkable. She even addresses this subject when she is at an event with a bunch of comedians. She says that she did an ok job, not great but everyone else has writers on their staff.
The one downside of this documentary is that it doesn't really address Joan Rivers' personal life. The viewer doesn't get any insight into her marriage with Edgar Rosenberg. It is probably because she doesn't want to discuss such a touchy subject. She did however go into how her and Melissa dealt with it.
I began this review praising her but i'll end it being skeptical of Joan Rivers for the very same reason. She is 75 years old, and she doesn't give any indication of giving up showbiz, which left me with a depressed feeling. In 90 minutes I got to know Joan, laugh with her, but I also started to feel sorry for her.
Overall Recommendation: If you have any interest in Joan Rivers then see this. And by all means, don't hate on her until you have seen it.
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