Before I watched this documentary I actually didn’t know much about Joan Rivers. Sure I had heard her name and saw pictures of her, but I had no idea who she was and what she was doing. This documentary brings you up to speed in no time. Joan Rivers is a comedian who worked for the Late Night Show with Johny Carson for years, which made her very popular. She’s 75 now, but doesn’t think about retiring.
Ricki Stern followed her for a year and has created this interesting look into the life of Rivers, she’s even joking about Stern hoping that she will die during the year as it would make the documentary very popular. Rivers lives in a house which will remind you of a palace you’d find in France. Together with various assistants she’s constantly looking for opportunities to get herself back into the spotlight and stay there. She’s sad when her agenda isn’t full and basically takes whatever comes along to fill it up. Performing if her way of life, which she can’t do without. Despite her high age she can still be very fierce as she shows during one of her performances.
Without performing Rivers probably wouldn’t enjoy life anymore and probably pass away like a flower without any water or sunlight. She still is writing new jokes and she shows that she files all of them, sorted by subject. The movie manages to capture it all and made it interesting to watch, despite me not knowing anything about her.
Score: 7