Heartland Film Festival: God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut

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If you’ve had the pleasure of reading one of Kurt Vonnegut’s novels, then you already know that he had an extraordinary talent to weave intriguing stories with just the right amount of humor and wit. I remember my first introduction to his novels was by happenstance, as I picked up a beat up copy of "Cat’s Cradle" that was in my dad’s basement during summer break of my freshman year in college. I was drawn in by Vonnegut’s writing style, and after I’d finished reading "Cat’s Cradle," I added a few of his other books to my own collection including "Slaughterhouse Five" and "Breakfast of Champions" (the latter had an awful film adaptation made in 1999 starring Bruce Willis; if you ever have the opportunity to see that mess of a movie…don’t).

Chronologically, the novel that followed “Cat’s Cradle” was titled, “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater,” the book from which this film borrows its title. “God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut” is a documentary film written and narrated by his son Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. which gives viewers, through Vonnegut’s artwork and those closest to him, a rather intimate portrait of the man behind the typewriter. Through interviews with Vonnegut’s friends and family members, we are granted access to more than the one dimensional "Vonnegut caricature" that we so often see.

Here’s my soapbox moment. We become so familiar with characters that authors have written, that rarely do we get to catch a glimpse of what may have shaped these characters, what events in the author’s life may have influenced the plots, or even what their muses may have been. In “God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut,” we are given that rare opportunity, and what awaits viewers is something that is just as delightful and enjoyable as one of Vonnegut’s novels. Coming from someone who has read (and enjoyed) several of his novels, that in itself is a large compliment. Kudos to director J.J. Harting for putting together this piece and showing us more about Vonnegut’s character, paying homage to the man and his work.