Love, Gilda: Humor and irony will save us all

On Saturday night of NHFF, the autobiographical documentary Love, Gilda featuring comedienne Gilda Radner screened at The Music Hall.

The film touches upon aspects of Radner’s professional career and personal life, documented through her own words from found diaries read by comedians Bill Hader, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph and Cecily Strong, interviews with friends, and recently found audiotapes as well as rare home movies. Radner is presented as an honest and open person comfortable with sharing her life stories. At first, her life seems perfect: brilliant career, fancy friends who seem to be a second family to her, and all a person can dream of.

As the film progresses, another side of Radner’s life was presented, shedding light on her own struggles such as a difficult childhood and illness. However, her sense of humor and an ability to take things lightly and ironically supported and helped her throughout her life. The legacy Radner left is so significant that a lot of today’s SNL cast still consider her a main source of inspiration and see her as an example to follow.

By Nikita Serdiuk