‘Bright Lights’ Documentary Shows Unbreakable Mother-Daughter Bond Between Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

Sandra Miska

Just one day after her daughter Carrie Fisher’s death on Dec. 27 at age 60 from a heart attack, Debbie Reynolds passed away from a stroke at age 84, a double tragedy Hollywood is still reeling from. In celebration of the lives of these two legendary women, HBO released the documentary “Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds” two months ahead of schedule. This poignant and humorous film, which examines the bond between mother and daughter was made by documentarians Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens, who makes it clear why their two subjects couldn’t live without each other.

Fisher and Reynolds lived on the same compound and were otherwise in synch despite their very different personalities. Reynolds, a product of the studio system, is presented as being liveliest performing in front of an audience. She doesn’t miss a beat, even showing up for an on-camera interview with a bruise covering half of her face, the result of an unfortunate bathroom accident. So deep does Reynolds’ love for show biz run that the actress amassed the world’s largest collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the hopes of one day opening a museum.

As for Fisher, although she started her career singing with her mother on Broadway, she soon found herself hurtling down a different track, breaking her mother’s heart by rejecting a singing career in favor of a acting in edgier films of the New Hollywood era, making her film debut as a teen who challenges Warren Beatty to service her in “Shampoo.” (A delightful tidbit: Reynolds protested her daughter’s use of the word “fuck” in the film. She suggested that Fisher should ask Beatty to “screw” instead.) Also noteworthy: While Reynolds collected glamorous items such as Marilyn Monroe’s iconic subway dress from “The Seven Year Itch,” Fisher collected paintings of ugly children that bore uncanny resemblances to beloved celebrities.

Mother and daughter were closer than ever during their final years. The most touching moments occur in the lead-up to the 2015 Screen Actors Guild event, when Reynolds received the Lifetime Achievement Award. During the rehearsal, Fisher breaks down while discussing her mother’s physical limitations.    

While the film doesn’t shy away from painful topics such as Fisher’s bipolar disorder and past addiction to drugs, the viewer also sees a lighter side of the woman behind Princess Leia, namely her interacting with excited “Star Wars” fans at a convention, and evidence of her Coke addiction – Coca-Cola, that is, as she constantly guzzled the sugary beverage, much to the chagrin of the handlers in charge of getting her fit ahead of filming of “The Force Awakens.” Other highlights include her playful interaction with lifelong friend Griffin Dunne, to whom she lost her virginity on a whim as a youth.

While “Bright Lights” has a strong girl-power theme, the men in the lives of Reynolds and Fisher play an important role, especially son and brother Todd Fisher. He grew up in front of the same flashing lights as his sister, but came out of childhood a different type of person. “It was simpler for him for some reason,” said Carrie, who admitted to jealousy of her sibling. Her father Eddie Fisher, who left the family to marry Elizabeth Taylor, is understandably the butt of more than one joke. But one of the most heartwarming scenes involves Carrie visiting with her ailing dad three months before his death.

“Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds” premiered Jan. 7 on HBO.