Movie Summary of A Piece of Work by Michael The Moviegoer.
A PIECE OF WORK = ***
“Rivers Runs Through It”
In Woody Allen’s “Bullets Over Broadway”, Rob Reiner says that no great artist has been truly appreciated in their own lifetime. That may have been true centuries ago, before the information age. But the new documentary about controversial comic Joan Rivers, “A Piece Of Work”, shows that Rivers IS appreciated. She just doesn’t feel it.
At 75, Rivers seems to have spent her life as a “glass-half-empty” kind of gal. Perfectly understandable when you realize how much tragedy she’s had to deal with. From Johnny Carson shunning her to her husband’s suicide, it’s remarkable that Rivers survived at all without turning into Lindsay Lohan.
This documentary is a raw and telling look deep into the many insecurities of Joan Rivers. It highlights a year in her life when she was preparing her live stage play about her life. It puts a spotlight on her X-rated sense of humor. There’s no in between. You will either be offended, or you will laugh your ass off at the choice of comedic material presented in this film.
It’s great that this film exists while Rivers is still around to appreciate it along with her fans. Too often, great tributes like these don’t get made until after the subject is deceased. Better to have this film of Joan than a cheesey Hollywood dramatization of her life as portrayed by someone like Cameron Diaz or Sandra Bullock. Eew!
But whatever your feelings, you cannot come away from this film without knowing that Joan Rivers is “real” and not an act.
If you’re unfamiliar with Rivers and this film is your initiation into her fan club, be very careful about going back too far for a viewing of her 1978 feature film flop “Rabbit Test” starring Billy Crystal as a man who gets pregnant. Rivers directed this movie. Sorry Joan, but you can’t win them all!
DVD Double Feature: Assuming you will take my advice and skip “Rabbit Test”, the perfect companion piece to this Joan Rivers’ documentary is one of the better Hollywood dramatizations of a famous comedian. It’s Bob Fosse’s 1974 classic “Lenny” starring Dustin Hoffman as controversial 60s comedian Lenny Bruce. In many ways, Joan Rivers could never have done what she did if Bruce hadn’t opened the door for controversial comedy.
Michael The Moviegoer
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I’m really a converted fan of Joan. I saw her movie a few days ago and it completely changed the way that I see her, as a performer and a person. I’d have to say that it’s one of the best movies I’ve seen, documentary or otherwise.