Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

In Joan Rivers' heyday, her signature brash, raunchy style shocked and awed millions. But what happens when barriers are broken, critics revile or simply ignore, and young comics are nipping at your heels? "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" casts a watchful eye on the iconic comedienne whose plastic surgery has made her a joke in the new millenium. The result is a riveting chronicle of one of the most tenacious showbiz vets alive.

From the film's earliest moments, Rivers establishes that there's nothing she hates more than an empty datebook. A chronic workaholic, she prefers multiple speaking engagements, book signings and comedy shows in one day - so much the better to fund her tchotchke-littered apartment and put her staff's kids through private school.

At age 75, Rivers is both out of touch - her management puts the kibosh on a joke involving the current First Lady's race - and incredibly savvy: she agrees to a stint on "Celebrity Apprentice" for long-term exposure and a return to NBC, from which she was blacklisted after leaving Johnny Carson's show. One thing's for certain, though. She's not going anywhere.

From dealing with a heckler in Wisconsin to delivering Thanksgiving meals with her grandson, Rivers never stops swearing, punning, and working it. "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" is a compelling, heart-wrenching portrait of a woman who can't imagine doing anything else with her life. And by the end of the film, neither can we.