User Reviews

Robert Weide, the maker of this fine documentary, apologizes right off the bat for being on screen and 'present' from time to time while it goes on. I see other reviewers found this a bit annoying, but I can also see that it was hard to avoid. Weide's connection with Vonnegut spanned decades, they became close friends, and the friendship itself is part of the story. I don't think we lose anything as a result: Vonnegut and his work are still front and center, and we get a satisfyingly thorough look into his life from beginning to end.

Vonnegut was an American original. His main works (Slaughterhouse Five and the string of novels before and after it) hit the zeitgeist of the 1960's right on the mark and made him immediately and permanently famous. His trademark angular face, mustache, and mop of curly hair were instantly recognizable and never changed. After his orginal string of hits, his writing as a novelist sort of trailed off into the weeds, but he turned into an affable TV talk-show guest and public speaker. Although he may have outlived his natural home period in history, he never really went away. And his consistent counterculture, antiwar point of view is timeless.

Weide clearly loved the guy. We get to see plenty of archival footage that fills in all the gaps over his whole life. The many interviews and thoughts from his three kids (Edie, Nanny, and Mark) and four nephews, who are all very open and engaging, are among the highlights of the film. Vonnegut was a complex character with a fascinating history. Very much worth seeing.

I enjoyed this documentary which was 40 years in the making. I have read pretty much all of Vonnegut's works and obviously this focuses a lot on Slaughterhouse Five but shows everything from his early short stories and earliest novels such as Player Piano onwards. The other review complains about the producer (Weide - the other "half a lifetime" I mention) who is admittedly a bit self-indulgent.

But since his bits are a side-story of how a biographer "cronkler" became a friend of Kurt - it fits in. I look at it as Weide is James Boswell and Kurt is Samuel Johnson (albeit funnier). You get the occasional "Life of Boswell" mixed in. I enjoyed seeing Kurt's family past and present as it helps put things into perspective as his life and career progressed (or sometimes stalled). Also the location shots in Indianapolis and Barnstable, Cape Cod with Kurt or his kids were great. I personally got a kick out of seeing the stone building of his Saab dealership where he wrote "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater." I'd say it's a solid 9/10 for Kurt fans and I think entertaining enough of a show for those who may be unfamiliar with his writing.

A must see for any fan of Kurt Vonnegut. Unstick in Time is a labor of love that is over 30 years in the making. Countless hours of never before seen footage made up of not only past interviews and speeches of Vonnegut, but priceless family home films from the 1920's and 1930's make up the glue of what this documentary has to offer its audience. Among this footage includes testimonials from those who knew and loved him in the past, the present and the time to come. This story's message, moral, motivation and meaning are all important to the overall question the filmmaker answers as we are obligated to keep watching all the way to the final credits. A perfect poem to one of the greatest writers of the 20th century.

An incredible labor of love that should delight and move any Vonnegut fan, and not a bad introduction for those who aren't familiar with him yet. It's a very human portrait of the man, warts and all, not a deep literary analysis of his books, but you will gain some great insights into how some of those came together, especially Slaughterhouse Five. The friendship of filmmaker Bob Weide with Kurt that is the centerpiece of the movie is crucial, a meta element fitting for a film about the guy who did meta (in Breakfast Of Champions particularly) before meta was cool! If any of this tweaks your interest, don't miss it.

While many are bothered by the interaction of the filmmaker in this film and initially, I too was unsure about it, I finally decided that the many years Weide spent making this film and spending time with Vonnegut made him a central character in his life and therefore he holds a space in this documentary just as Vonnegut's children do. It was a beautiful film and I really enjoyed it!

The movie opens as if Vonnegut had written it: time-tripping, past, present, "future" tenses. It unfolds with awareness and self-consciousness of the process of making the documentary, and with living a deliberate existence. We watch as Vonnegut steers his direction, with the enthusiastic support of his wife Jane, from a life in the corporate world to evolving as a philosophical novelist. The fact that Vonnegut welcomed Director Robert B. Weide into his personal life strums on the heart strings of any human being who has been a follower, a fan, or a groupie of a beloved artist. Every moment of this film is emotional, poignant, and profoundly underscored by filmed statements, answering machine messages, and written text declarations made by Vonnegut himself.

This documentary stands on its own as a well-considered and crafted oeuvre. The art of the film is created and observed in a linear-time fashion. The body of "Unstuck in Time" is focused on Vonnegut's writings, work, life, challenges, lectures, and lends visual exposures to his graphic illustrations. It is highlighted with interviews with family and friends, and footage from reels of 16 mm family films. Weide includes his own reflections on the documentary's process, his own personal life (and "distractions") during the long duration of making the movie, and on his close relationship with Vonnegut.

I wasn't left feeling as if I had any more questions about Vonnegut's biography; I feel that Weide has covered all the factual information very neatly in a 2 hour 7 minute package. As the credits rolled, I was wiping away tears from missing Kurt more than ever, full of thanks for his influence on me.

Simply phenomenal. A momentous documentary nearly forty years in the making. A bar-setter; a masterpiece.

It'll light a fire in your gut. Let it burn.

There are two schools of thought on this documentary - that took decades to complete by Weide. My school is that Weide inserted himself far too comfortably in it. What pushed me waaaaaaaaaaaaay over the edge was during the credits when there were two sets of photographs, one in black and white (Vonnegut family) on top and one in color (Weide family). That was so to invasive to me.

Also, (this is an edit, btw) Weide inserting his family problems into the documentary to the degree he did was not at all professional, in my opinion. I am very sorry about his wife's illness, but I chose to watch a documentary about a beloved writer, not about Robert B. Wieder's family. Maybe he needs to do another documentary that's strictly about them. Given what he has achieved in his professional life, I would actually like to watch that.

But this was supposed to be about Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

This is a smart documentary about Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. And a lot of his story that any fan can enjoy. I am glad it finally got made, and wish Vonnegut could have seen it - he would have been pleased, I'd like to think. I learned a lot about the author I've admired all my life. And wish I'd learned a bit more about his later life sans Weide inserting himself as flagrantly as he did. I looked it up and there was a lot of Vonnegut's life missing. How sad we were deprived of that later portion of his life.

To clarify - I think Weide's presence and voice is important in this documentary, but could and should have been cut back by at least 90%. It is NOT the Vonnegut and Weide Unstuck in Time documentary. Or is it?

I do know I know far too much about the Weide family than I ever should at this point in time and from the program I chose to watch.

So it goes.

"I didn't want to be in this film, but I felt I had to explain why it took forty years." I guess all the people who review "it's self indulgent of Weide" are too big *s to get this single line explanation.

I fell in love with Vonnegut's writing in high school, which presaged a lifetime of suicidal depression for me. Anyhoo, this film exactly fits Vonnegut's style and philosophy and it just depresses the hell out of me that other reviewers don't grok it. (lol) BTW one of Weide's films made from Vonnegut's books, "Mother Night" was made for $6,000,000 (estimated) and grossed only $403,701, which explains in part it took Weide so long to return to doing material on Vonnegut, (although he doesn't give these numbers in this film), and why few filmmakers have bothered to touch Vonnegut's material since. So it goes. If you haven't read Vonnegut, you're probably not worthy, sorry I mean interested, of watching this. I don't know why you would bother.

Greetings again from the darkness. Sometimes the work really does speak for itself. Co-director and long-time Vonnegut friend Robert B Weide even admits the renowned author told him, "anything that is any good of mine is on a printed page". The strange thing here is that by the time it's over, we aren't sure if we've watched a documentary on the life of Kurt Vonnegut or one about Weide's friendship with and respect of the man.

Vonnegut, of course, is one of the great American writers of the 20th Century. Born and raised in Indianapolis, he wrote novels, short stories, and plays, and his work was noted for his clever humor and detail. His big breakthrough came in 1969 when "Slaughterhouse Five" became a best-seller, and his other works include "Cat's Cradle" (1963) and "Breakfast of Champions" (1973). As we see during the film, his live talks became 'must-attend' events due to his brilliance and ability to speak directly (and with caustic wit) about a world that he didn't always maintain the greatest hope for.

Weide and co-director Don Argott address Vonnegut's shortcomings as a family man, by allowing his daughters to tell Daddy stories in their own words. What's clear is that Vonnegut being captured by Germans during WWII at the Battle of the Bulge, and subsequently held at Dresden was a driving force not just in his writing, but in his approach to life. He survived the Allied bombing by taking cover in ... you guessed it ... a freezer in a slaughterhouse.

Archival footage of Vonnegut and interviews with his daughters and biographers, give us a pretty complete looks at his life. Oddly, it's Mr. Weide who seems to spend as much time on camera as anyone, leading us to wonder about his focus in what he terms a '40 year' project. Possibly the most interesting segment involves the various drafts of Vonnegut's most popular work ("Slaughterhouse Five" was his 6th novel), and the specific comparisons of the author to lead character Billy Pilgrim. Vonnegut passed away in 2007, and we have little doubt his response to that would be ... "So it goes."

When I booked to see Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time on the big screen at London's National Film Theatre, I was expecting to enjoy it. Vonnegut is my favourite author, and for my 50th birthday my partner got me a signed copy of Galapagos, my favourite Vonnegut novel.

But what I wasn't expecting was how great the film would be in it's own right.

It is of course a fascinating insight into one of the most witty and humane writers of the 20th century. And is beautifully shot and assembled, with plumes of smoke constantly rising from the photos of Vonnegut with his Pall Malls in had, bringing even the still images to life.

But it is also a profundly moving film about human friendship.

The documentary has been over 40 years in the making, ever since a young Robert Weide, fresh from making a documentary about the Marx Brothers, contacted his literary hero and asked if he could make a documentary about him.

Vonnegut agreed, and over the years the two became friends, so much so that he becomes part of the story, much to his own chagrin.

Much like Vonnegut would enter his own novels to interact with his characters.

So much so, that finishing the film felt like having to let go of Kurt, who had died aged 83 in 2007.

So much like the nature of much of Vonnegut's own work, we have two compelling stories, the definitive documentary about Kurt Vonnegut, and the film-within-a film about Weide's on attempts to finish the film about a man who had started out as a literary hero but had now become a close friend, celebrating his own triumphs as a director, and giving him wise advice in his personal life.

Again like Vonnegut's own work, this complex technique is achieved without feeling forced, and is a pleasure to watch.

I gave the documentary 5 stars for the footage of Kurt. It should really be 2.5 stars, considering that Weidie features "Weidie's feelings on KVj," and "Weidie proves he really was friends with Kurt" more than he lets us see the author himself. I swear to god, there were several times when Weidie actually talked OVER film of Vonnegut rather than letting us hear what the supposed subject of the film was saying.

It's not that Weidie couldn't have played a role, put himself in here and there. But he is everywhere. He spends so much time showing himself with Kurt it begins to look like that is his only point - that he was there. I almost stopped after 10/15 minutes because I had heard so little about Kurt and so much about Weidie's subject. He draws parallels to Vonnegut's own years-long struggle to write about WWII. I kid you not.

For lovers of Vonnegut, this film is a struggle. For people who want to hear Weidie on Vonnegut, you've found your movie!

Waited long for this finished product and it was definitely worth the wait. Defies the old adage of "Never get to know your heroes..." Thanks, Bob Weide!!!

Kurt Vonnegut Unstuck in Time really took me back to my student days when I first picked up a copy of Slaughterhouse Five. I'd never read anything like it. Any film that does that is great and I want to thank Robert Weide for that. I laughed, I cried and I was moved. As I approach my late sixties it reminded me of better times, the value of friendship and when I had hope. So it goes.

I finished this documentary on Kurt. It was an amazing and beautiful tribute. Thanks to Bob for sharing his friendship with us. It makes you want to return to your collection of Vonnegut books and read them again. It is also a great reminder of his impact on impressionable minds, to think outside the box, to laugh...often...and to never pass up a good joke. Tell a friend.

A really well thought out documentary about one of the greatest literature figures ever, plus a film about friendship. A very touching and insightful film. One not just for Vonnegut super fans.

I felt compelled to sign back into IMDb after many, many years so I could write a review of this film from Robert Weide. I always read the user reviews on IMDb prior to watching anything, and was expecting to see a different film based on some of the negative reviews. I signed on to give much deserved credit to the filmmaker. For starters, I'd like to point out that I am not a diehard Vonnegut fan, and didn't know anything about his personal life whatsoever prior to watching this; my general knowledge of Vonnegut has been more or less a passive enjoyment of his novels. If you're preparing to watch a Ken Burns-style documentary, this is not what you're going to watch. Robert Weide makes this evident at the beginning; the almost 40 year project evolved into a significant friendship between Vonnegut and the filmmaker. The mutual respect, love and admiration between these two was crafted into a touching film. You will learn a lot about Vonnegut's life, but most importantly, and what I think is what made this so moving to watch, was Weide's unique ability to portray Vonnegut on a human level. There is a sincere and deeply moving balance of Vonnegut's life chronicles, personal and professional relationships, and unscripted moments which Weide sews into a chaotic, but beautiful quilt of Vonnegut's life. I can see how and why this film took so long to create; it would be difficult to whittle down Vonnegut's professional life alone to a two hour timeframe, nevertheless having to account for the almost life-long friendship the filmmaker had with him. I laughed, I cried, I learned, and I'm currently pulling out basement boxes of books to find my Vonnegut novels to reread again, but this time with a renewed sense of excitement for who he really was as a writer, father, son, friend, veteran, teacher - a human. I think this is about as much as a viewer could ask from a movie, no? Mr. Weide, thank you for bringing Vonnegut back to life!

As a sometimes reader of Vonneguts novels but not a die hard fan this documentary was very comprehensive in showing us with archive footage and visits to some of the key locations.

The parts where Kurt's daughters, sone and nephews talk about their memories and experiences of the writer, the man and the relative are all very telling.

The film maker does get a bit embedded in some of the story but for the most part it is in a kind of explanatory way that a fan does could have done with a bit of editing on some of that but he was the writer / director and producer so that is all OK.

I will read a couple more of the novels that I missed. As a documentary this movie is well crafted and worth the time investment. I saw it at a film festival.

I can see why it took so long to make and the friendship with the director is part of the story too but can see why some people might not like that so much.

This was painful to watch.

A filmaker who prefaces by saying it should not be about him but than makes it about him.

And tropes about a creative man who treats his family, wife in particular, like crap while being charming to everyone else.

Kurt vonnegut's story, as written, directed, and recorded by friend robert weide. If vonnegut's stories had a dark side, it was because he experiened serious drama, trauma, and loss during his life. A family member committed suicide when he was 21. And the same year, as a soldier, he was taken prisoner by the germans, and held at dresden. Which then got bombed by the allies. He lost his best friend to cancer. His life had started with a happy childhood, mostly due to the attention of his sisters. Then things got serious. The depression, withdrawing from college, and heading off to war. Quitting his job at general electric, he wrote full time, in between teaching assignments, which paid a more steady income. If he could just have a big success... good stuff! Director weide also worked extensively at curb your enthusiasm.

This documentary is clearly made with love and great skill. When these two factors hit off, as in this case, the story and experiences are revealed with upmost respect for what it all represents; from the whole to it's parts and from the viewer and what is infront of the camera.

I personally rate this as the highest level of documentary film-making I've seen in many years. You realise how Kurt Vonnegut and Robert Weide dedicated themselves to this, as did many other friends and family members. It is subtle and beautifully woven from each thread to the mext from a mindblowing library of footage. It made a very strong impression on me and I will cherish this experience. Here be gold!