Rating: 9/10
Where to watch: Rent on streaming
Release Date: November 19, 2021
Description: Director Robert Weide tells the story of his attempt at making a documentary of the famed writer Kurt Vonnegut. For the past 40 years, Weide has been working to release this documentary. Throughout those 40 years, he grew to know Vonnegut well and ultimately they became very close friends. The documentary goes through Vonnegut's entire life, from his birth in 1922 to his death in 2007.
Kurt Vonnegut is one of the most influential writer's of the past century, regarded by many as the Mark Twain of the 20th century. His is known for his humorous and fantastical stories that are deeply routed in philosophy. His most well known novel is Slaughterhouse Five, which the documentary focuses on primarily compared to the rest of his works.
Personally, Vonnegut is one of my favorite authors so I was excited about this documentary when I first heard about it. I am somewhat biased in my review because of my love for his writing. I am not sure how one would react if they have never read him, so I recommend checking out some of his books before watching this documentary. Aside from that, the documentary is well crafted and goes deep into the life of a man who is so incredibly significant to many people, yet few know about his story. For me it was interesting to learn about Vonnegut's life struggles that are apparent in his writing, including the Great Depression, and WW2 where he was a POW in Dresden when it was bombed by Allied forces. Despite these, he was a man who was high on life and dedicated his life to spreading joy and laughter.