Ryan McNeil
I’ve long believed that one sign of a good documentary is if it can draw in those who sit down not caring much about the subject matter. For me, JOAN RIVERS – A PIECE OF WORK is certainly an example of a doc where I don’t much care for the subject. And yet, the successful doc that it is, it drew me in and told me an amazing story about a woman who is one of a kind.
This doc takes place during a very trying time for Joan. When it opens, she has dropped down towards the ‘E List’. She’s having trouble getting her calls returned, having trouble booking gigs, and having to work tremendously hard to keep afloat. Not that she’s afraid of that. Actually one thing that the doc illustrates is just how hard Joan does work, and that she’s actually quite proud of working hard. At 75, she isn’t content to show up at places and collect an appearance fee. She’d much rather be cashing in by being funny.
Joan’s funny side is actually something I regret to say I’d forgotten. The film is spotted with many moments of her stand-up routine, where she reminds the audience how razor-shrap she is. These are welcome moments of levity, since much of the rest of the film has Joan being very critical of herself, of where her career has gone, and on the punchline she has become. It’s amazing to listen to Kathy Griffin talk of how much she owes to Joan, and yet is getting denied the sort of gigs Griffin gets easily.
This doc was worth watching for the level of honesty. It gives us a different side of this brash personality, and gave me a new respect for her and what she’s all about. To say this surprised me given how little I can usually stand Joan would be putting it mildly.
I saw her live at Casino Rama last year and it was one of the best stand-up comedy shows I'd ever seen. Not only was she hilarious but at 75, she never let up and performed, not as a verteran, but as a comic who still everything to lose. It was quite inspiring.
I missed this at IFF Boston too and wasn't sure how good it actually was. It sounds quite interesting from your review though, and it might be good to see another side of Joan Rivers!
So glad it's good! Joan Rivers fascinates me … I'm excited to see the woman behind the plastic 😉
Joan Rivers has had such a tough life, and such a demanding career, it’s only right someone finally made a documentary about her. She’s been as groundbreaking as George Carlin or Richard Pryor, and it’s about time we let her know we noticed.
I just saw a video of Sarah Silverman doing stand up. It really wasn’t that shocking. The material seemed like something Joan Rivers would do back in the 1960’s. Does anyone else think that Sarah Silverman is a Joan Rivers ripoff?