Our take
Imagine a fanboy makes a film about his hero—you’d expect something mawkish and fawning, a tribute that praises the icon but sidesteps the flaws. Maybe in less expert hands, that could be the case. But despite being a longtime admirer of writer Kurt Vonnegut, Robert B. Weide’s documentary isn’t any of those things. Sure, it’s lovingly made, but it’s balanced and objective as it sketches a profile of Vonnegut not a lot of us have seen before. It’s also more than just a chronological account of his life; it’s simultaneously a film about this film, which has been in the making for 40 years, ever since Weide first met Vonnegut in 1988 and followed him through his death in 2007. At some point, their lives become tightly intertwined, and it’s impressive to see not just that friendship blossom but to watch it seamlessly fuse into the documentary. When Weide pitches the documentary to Vonnegut, he optimistically promises that it’ll be the definitive guide to his life. He’s right, it’s all that and a bit more.
Synopsis
A documentary 33 years in the making. A director and friend of Kurt Vonnegut seeks through his archives to create the first film featuring the revolutionary late writer.
Storyline
Director Robert B. Weide follows Kurt Vonnegut, arguably one of the best American writers in recent memory, and tells the story of his work and his life, while also recounting how he came to be friends with his biggest idol.
TLDR
Weide has to be one of the luckiest fanboys in the history of fandom ever.
What stands out
It’s easy to forget that even writers as wise and revered as Vonnegut are fallible and prone to the same errors we all are—this documentary is a good reminder that they’re just humans, humans who get rejected multiple times and have trouble figuring out love and get angry over stupid government promises.