Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time * * * ½

When I was in my twenties Kurt Vonnegut meant a lot to me. Although I was of quite a different generation, I could relate to him more than any other writer.  

During the Covid19 lockdowns I re-read quite a few of his novels.  I am now at the same age - or older -  than he was when he wrote them, but they impressed me more than ever assuring me that my initial appreciation of his work was more than just the folly of youth.

Kurt and Robert.  So it goes.

Kurt Vonnegut's books spoke to a lot of other young people, not least being the director of this film Robert B. Weide.  Weide tells us that he  was so enthused by the work of Vonnegut he started a Vonnegut study and appreciation group at his college.    

Despite his love of literature as he grew older Weide realised that film was going to be his calling.  He has made documentaries on The Marx Brothers and Lauren and Hardy, and Lenny Bruce.  Of late he was the director of many episodes of the brilliant sitcom, Curb Your Enthusiasm.  

Amongst other life long projects he continued to work on was this documentary on Kurt Vonnegut.  He was in his twenties when he started it.  Thirty nine years later he has finally felt comfortable about presenting it.

Over the years Weide and Vonnegut became good friends and Vonnegut was very helpful in providing Weide with  recordings and photographs. Vonnegut's family have generously contributed to the film too.  

Other than his most famous novel - Slaughterhouse 5 - this documentary focuses more on the life of Vonnegut than his work.

Personally, I think it's probably all the better for that.  I'd rather here from his friends and family than some academic.  An insight into the lifestyle and life choices and experiences of a writer can be more informative than some analyst reading between the lines of his novels. 

Unstuck is a rich and highly informative documentary on a fascinating and immensely intelligent man, who also happens to be very funny.  You'll probably enjoy this documentary even if you are not familiar with the work of Kurt Vonnegut.