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Kurt Vonnegut has had little luck with the translation of his vision to the wide screen. His style and subjects rarely lend themselves easily to linear film-making, and this adaptation of his best-known novel points up the problems inherent with that fact. A viewer who has never read the book will be hopelessly lost almost from the beginning, as the story line is told from the point of view of a man who has come "unstuck in time." This conceit (where the hero has no control over the order in which he experiences his life), while used to stunning effect in the book, can make for a very muddled FILM, and here sadly, the final product can't be excused for its fidelity to the spirit of the novel. Technically, this film has some high points. The cinematography and designs are excellent, capturing the desolation of Europe engaged in WWII and the isolation of the foot soldier fighting that war, as well as recreating the feel of a bygone time and place. The casting of this film is an eclectic mix, with Michael Sacks giving a convincing, if not memorable performance in the role of Billy Pilgrim. Sharon Gans is wonderful as his overweight and overwrought wife. Ron Liebman provides manic talent here as the hero's main antagonist, and Valerie Perrine demonstrates her lack of acting talent beautifully, ironically playing a talentless actress/centerfold model (and the object of Pilgrim's more prurient desires). Having seen this film on both the big and small screens, I can say that little is lost in the shrinkage.Rating 6.5/10
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