In some ways Princess Leia and Carrie Fisher, the actress that portrayed her, couldn’t be more different. Fisher is brash, outspoken and a crusader. Then again, so is Leia. Maybe they aren’t so different after all.
Watching Wishful Drinking, a live taping of Fisher’s one-woman show where she lampoons her origins and herself, is a little awkward at first. You can’t help but feel like you’re reading someone else’s diary. The problem is that this particular diary is too intriguing to set down. After awhile you stop feeling guilty for intruding because its quite clear that Fisher wants you to know the absurdity of her story. She welcomes you in with a smile, a witty joke and an unspoken promise to not exaggerate the truth too much. She talks about her celebrity, the unwanted attention, the metal bikini, life-sized dolls and Pez dispensers. She also talks about addiction, mental illness and finding a way laugh at it all. Wishful Drinking could have been a miserable experience filled with self-pity and excuses. Instead it is a pop icon demystifying herself for herself, she’s just invited us to come along for the ride in hopes that we can do the same. Leia may have stolen Fisher’s persona but over the years Fisher has, in her own rebellious way, co-opted Leia’s strength. As a Star Wars fan its nice to see that being Princess Leia didn’t destroy Carrie Fisher’s life after all.
Bonus features include a trio of deleted segments and a surprisingly insightful 50-minute interview with Fisher’s mother Debbie Reynolds.