Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) User Reviews

A stunner

[crappydoo · 9/10 · 12 July 2008]

I just completed watching this harrowing documentary and it is only now that, having got the time to catch my breath, I am able to review it.

To begin with, I'd recommend not reading any of the other reviews so that you start watching it with absolutely no foreknowledge, and so that the film gets the opportunity to have the impact that it is designed to have, which, in my opinion, would only be fair to the director. Therefore without revealing the story I would only like to mention that this is a documentary that the film maker has made in remembrance of his close friend and his family; and its a bloody good watch.

The direction is great and the best part is that this documentary is made in 'real time'; which means that events unfold as the film progresses. This is probably something that I've never experienced in any other documentary before, since most of them are made in retrospect. It makes its point clean and crisp and it will certainly not be a waste of your time and money.

The film progresses in a quick and efficient manner and the time just seems to fly. The film is narrated in a very smart way with plenty of smash cuts. This documentary plays like a big budget commercial Hollywood film and will probably have you glued right up to the last minute.

So its good stuff. If you get the chance to watch it I'd recommend it. If you don't, well that's just too bad.

One of the Most Traumatic Films Ever Made

[deproduction · 7/10 · 25 August 2009]

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is easily one of the most traumatic films I've ever seen. Its not technically the most impressive documentary film, but the subject matter is powerful-enough that you cannot help but be deeply impacted by the story. I've hesitated to suggest it to a few of my more fragile friends because it is one of those films that can leave you in an emotional funk for days afterward. Its that powerful of a film, but not for the faint of heart. I personally would not watch it again, though I'm grateful that the filmmaker stuck with the project through it all and did not give up, as many would have. I'm grateful this story was told, even if it was painful to experience.

Absolutely horrifying

[doomedmac · 9/10 · 15 January 2021]

The subject matter of this documentary is overwhelming. The facts are harsh and unforgiving. The devil is real.

Inspiration through loss.

[shannon-136 · 10/10 · 26 August 2008]

It started out as a remembrance for a son about his father and it became so much more.

I saw this film Sunday and it still resides in my heart and haunts me. This is the first documentary I have ever seen that has drawn me in completely, and made me feel as though I am part of the story and a friend to the victim. It was a roller-coaster of emotions and there were quite a few teary-eyed people by the end. I feel I had to give it a proper review, but like many have stated, it's hard to do so without ruining the effect the filmmaker intends. This story pulls you along and unfolds as it does for our narrator, the filmmaker, Kurt Kunne. His story is personal because he grew up with the central figure, Dr. Andrew Bagby.

Andrew's parents, David and Kate, whom I had a chance to meet with after the screening, are lovely people, and I instantly saw why they foster so much love and support throughout the film: They are genuinely kind people who give off a wonderful parental-vibe. They show so much love and hope in the face of almost insurmountable evil. You hold onto their love and hope through the last few minutes, and eventually you find what the narrator finds: inspiration.

The editing and the directing reveal a truly gifted filmmaker, Mr. Kunne, a superb storyteller, bounces back and forth between past and present events. He reveals what happens at several key points which leads us an ending you should rather just see than have me explain.

From what I've read there were several richly deserved standing ovations as the film ventured into the festival circuit. If you have a chance to see, "Dear Zachary," this film will be playing until Thursday of this week at the arc-light cinemas in Hollywood. The filmmaker, Kurt, said the film will be making a return to Hollywood in early November and shall be coming to New York City in late October, MSNBC will be premiering the film December 7th and the DVD shall go on sale some time in mid-FEBRUARY.

I suggest everyone pays their money to see this film for the sake of advocacy groups and to support bail reform in Canada. Although the legal system in Canada is put on trial in this documentary, it reveals a real problem with our own justice system here in the United States, and how some criminals are given preferential treatment over victims and their families' rights.

I cannot tell you how much this film has affected me. How truly inspirational I find David Bagby and Kate Bagby to be…

Please support Academy caliber documentaries, with a strong sense of heart, and a great message of hope. This is a wonderful, albeit tragic and yet inspiring film.

Experience the Life of the Bagbys

[rishi62 · 10/10 · 12 February 2009]

This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I have never been affected by a movie as much as this. Ever since i saw this movie, I have not been able to get the story out of my head. The way Kurt uses home movies and interviews to capture the essence of Andrew is perfect. I feel like i know and love the Bagby family. The film takes you through Andrews life showing the people that he touched along the way. The quote that really stuck with me was when Clark said something along the lines of "What would life be if this one person never existed". This is very relevant because of this movie to this day Andrew is affecting the lives of people that he never met including mine. He has inspired me to really cherish the relationships that I have, because life is too short for petty things. I have never cried in a movie, but this movie managed to get me to cry within the first 20 minutes. I am not a movie critic so i do not know how to write a review, all you gotta do is watch the movie. You are doing yourself a disservice if you miss this beautiful tribute. Much love to the Bagby friends and family.

Groundbreaking Roller Coaster Few Will See

[dalefried · 10/10 · 5 July 2008]

One of the pleasures of an all access pass to film festivals is the opportunity to be drawn to something by word of mouth. I was accidentally standing outside the theatre after the first viewing of this film at the Sarasota Film Festival. Everyone coming out was raving about it, a film that I had originally pegged as just another manipulative true crime documentary. Most had been crying like babies. My freedom at the venue allowed me to change from a viewing of Priceless to this film. I had no idea I was waking into a wall of cinematic fury.

To say it was staggering is inadequate. The impact of it all is in part driven by style. Though the form is a traditional overlapping story structure, the frenetic pace of the presentation creates a sense many times of 'too much information'. Mixed in however are some stylistic tricks that act as accent marks to move your perception to one place versus others. This moves your feelings in one direction or another within the time frame of larger movements of emotion that drive the story. The technique, though not unique, is applied in the course of a story that would seem to demand more subtly, however, it works wonderfully. Could it be that within this piece of time about a very personal tragedy a new documentary form emerges?

But the story and the trek to get through it are what keeps you glued. I will not go into the morphology of the multiplex of stories here since it would ruin the impact. Leave it to say that constant unexpected change ups give one the feeling you are on a roller coaster of emotional complexity. The net effect leaves you nearly breathless and, as one sobbing young woman I convinced to see the film told me, in desperate need of water.

The film ends with a seemingly endless list of all involved, most at least tangentially affected by the event if not actually in the film content. As you absorb the story's impact, consider that the true theme of the film is to introduce you to this virtual community of people discovered by this young filmmaker who started with an homage to his best friend and ended up capturing something far more profound.

There are many moments where we try to take solace in the good that can come from the horrid. After viewing this, ask yourself that even though all involved would have wished for the events not to have happened, the emotional fulfillment exuding from this film may have left all surviving the better for it. This filmmaker's love letter to his vastly extended family that grew out of the tragedy and his odyssey documenting it make for the kind of things we most look forward to in the cinema.

An absolute Must See

[mysticwit · 10/10 · 15 March 2008]

I cannot praise this heartfelt documentary enough. Too often documentaries with such a personal tie have touch (or more) of vanity. Not Dear Zachary.

Kurt Kuenne could have easily turn this tribute to a dead friend into a vanity project, or overly sentimental. The evolution of this project is full of sentiment, indeed, but is done so in such a way that the viewer is completely engaged in the story and feels the loss on a personal level.

This is the hardest film to review because to explain it, is to spoil the experience of it. Let's just say that Andrew Bagby was a very loved person, and this tribute to a man whose life was brutally cut short could have easily been a depressing, dark tale. Instead, while it has some wrenching moments, it's ultimately a love story of family and friends, and the powerful influence people can have in each others lives, for good and for ill.

If you have the opportunity to catch this film, do not hesitate to do it. This is one I'm adding to my DVD collection as soon as it's available.

An absolutely devastating documentary you will never forget

[Benedict_Cumberbatch · 12 June 2009]

It makes me sad to see people criticizing "Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father" for its technical limitations. I rented knowing only it was about a pregnant woman who killed her ex-boyfriend, the subsequent plight of the victim's parents and their agonizing efforts to win the custody of their grandson, Zachary (whose mother was released on bail). But the whole story is so unpredictable - and devastatingly sad - that the less you know about it, the better.

Writer/director/producer/composer Kurt Kuenne was a close friend of Dr. Andrew Bagby, who was killed by a psychotic woman, "Dr." Shirley Turner, right after he had broken up with her. He decided to make a final film with his childhood friend Andrew, and when they learned Shirley was pregnant with Andrew's baby, whom she named Zachary, it became more than a tribute to a friend, but a project to show Zachary the father he would never get to know. With Shirley at large, however, their nightmare wasn't over.

With such a tough, emotional subject, it would be easy to get overtly sentimental, but Kuenne does a terrific job. The film is obviously a very personal project, and visibly no-budget, but that's not an issue because this is not a film meant to be visibly stunning. Apparently, some people are way too cynical to appreciate a film for its heart and content rather than focusing on its aesthetics and "artiness". It had a much bigger effect on me than the last Oscar winner for Best Documentary, "Man on Wire" (a fine film itself). Had this film been directed by, say, Michael Moore, it would have been more incendiary and garnered larger media attention, but wouldn't have been half as passionate, compelling and, most important, honest.

Kuenne uses the cinematic tool to document history, make a tribute for beloved friends (not only Andrew and little Zachary, but also Andrew's parents, David and Kathleen, the emotional core of this story) and to instigate the audience, both emotionally and intellectually. When most movies that get a wide release don't even attempt either of these goals, this is a remarkable achievement. Not to be missed. 10/10.

It's a Wonderful Life as reimagined by Charles Manson

[egomoz · 10/10 · 30 April 2009]

Wow, I certainly wasn't expecting it to be this overwhelming. It's the emotional equivalent of having your head kicked in against the curb.

I thought I knew where the story was going but I couldn't shake the sense of sinister dread. I didn't think the story could get any bleaker but then... Maybe I'm doing it a disservice but I would strongly recommend this film to anyone who isn't in an already too fragile state. Because once you invest your own emotions in the story, you are screwed - within minutes I went from sad to angry to shocked and depressed and back and forth etc.

That's quite an achievement. Yes, the film is flawed but you know what? I don't mind that films are flawed, it's the emotional punch that I'm going for. The film is made by someone on a mission (albeit a confused one at times) but the end result is a film that is raw and intimate.

Oh, there is a special place reserved in heaven for all the Bagbys. And a special place in hell for the murderer and the judge who set the murderer loose.

I Will Never Forget This Film

[stephjeff-82609 · 10/10 · 15 July 2023]

It's been about 4 years since I first watched this documentary, and I can honestly say that it still haunts me to this day. The unfolding of this story is so impactful. So raw. So heartbreaking.

Do yourself a favor and DO NOT look up anything about this case before or during your watch.

Paradise Lost has always been my favorite documentary series of all time. But this one is either tied for first or a very, very close second.

This is a truly devastating documentary all around, but their story is so incredibly important for the world to know. I promise, this documentary and story will stick with you for the rest of your life.

I'm more angry than sad....

[vithiet · 7/10 · 21 May 2020]

A good friend recommended this documentary but warned that it was very sad. In the end, while it definitely is a heart wrenching story it left me more angry at the people responsible for letting all of this happen than sad. I went in knowing nothing about the documentary or the story and that's the perfect way to watch this. In truth, from a technical perspective it is not necessarily a great documentary; however, everything else about it makes it worthwhile to watch.

"I don't know, I'll never know, in the silence you don't know, you must go on, I can't go on, I'll go on."

[droopfozz · 10/10 · 7 November 2008]

Dear Zachary Dir. Kurt Kuenne ***** "Perhaps it's done already, perhaps they have said me already, perhaps they have carried me to the threshold of my story, before the door that opens on my story, that would surprise me, if it opens, it will be I, it will be the silence, where I am, I don't know, I'll never know, in the silence you don't know, you must go on, I can't go on, I'll go on."-Samuel Beckett, The Unnamable That final sentence, from one of the great novels of all-time, works here as a description of the heart and soul of this film, the best I've seen all year. Kurt Kuenne sets out to find all there is to know about his murdered friend Andrew Bagby after talking with friends who knew parts about Andrew's life that he never told Kurt. Shortly after stating this endeavor it is revealed that the woman who killed Andrew is also pregnant with his son. Kurt then decides to make the film into a memorial to give to Andrew's son, Zachary.

This is a film that is a search for its filmmaker, a search which ultimately finds itself asking the most unanswerable of questions. The unfolding of the events surrounding the search cause Kuenne to revisit his approach, his interview subjects, and allows the audience a personal look into an artist trying to make sense of the impossible (in fact, the film was never meant to be released except to family members).

Nearly a decade in the making the film compiles years of interviews with dozens of people who knew and loved Andrew, as well as through a number of home videos. Part of makes this a stunning example of art as process, is the fact that Andrew starred Kurt's home made movies growing up, and we see footage from those films, where we see even then the use of film being used to make sense of the world.

The amount of footage, interviews, and information comes at you early and quickly. The audience becomes immersed in the lives of Andrew's family; knows the information when the family knows it, and experiences the events as if they were one of Andrew's friends. An outsider may have been tempted to manipulate the audience, but Kuenne's approach is earnest and admirably restrained. He obviously cares about his friends, and is nothing but charitable to them by his representation (or non-representation in some cases) in this film. That said, Kurt doesn't pretend not to be involved himself. He keeps in narration where he gets emotional. He lets you know that he is frustrated and furious, and that at times he doesn't know where to turn.

This is one of those rare films which is an experience. I cannot remember the last time I was so viscerally effected by a film. Not just in tears but going through a wide range of palpable feelings, some clear cut, some frustratingly ambiguous, and leaving me haunted, purged, shaken. The film allows us to experience with Andrew's parents a diverse and difficult range of emotions. You will be angry, sickened, hopeful, humored, devastated, inspired, awed, depressed, and everything in between. At times you'll want to throw up your hands and say: "I can't go on!" It shows us humanity at its most evil, yet, without being sentimental, shows us how life can go on in the face of incomprehensible horror.

I don't know if I've seen another film which so effectively conveys the impact of the loss of a human life. A shot early on in the film catches a quick glimpse of ripples in a water, and this film looks at those ripples instead of focusing on the initial cause of those ripples.

And in the end, when the film comes back to the filmmaker, on his experience and his journey, in a recap of what we've experienced with humanity in microcosm throughout the film, its a devastating turn which displays the brilliance in the film's structure, despite it appearing a bit haphazard on the surface, all along.

I don't know whether to tell you to read more about the film or not. I've tried not to tell too many details because for full effect, and to do justice to the filmmakers experience you need to let this film wash over you. But I also don't know if some of the more sensitive viewers will make it through this film unprepared. Maybe this will suffice: this is not an easy film; the best never are. But like Becket's Trilogy, by looking through at life through the most hopeless of situations, somehow those who experience the work come out stronger, more human. Victor Frankel's early title for Man's Search for Meaning was "A Case for Tragic Optimism." That is this film.

read more reviews@ floydfortnightly.blogspot.com

Certainly held my attention

[canyongirl60 · 7/10 · 14 September 2019]

This was a close look at the case of the murdered Andrew Bagby, and then a look his parents in the aftermath, and his baby son. But I happened to be used to true crime writers who also take a measured look at the murderer's life. Shirley was certainly an emotionally disturbed individual, but in this story we don't find out anything about her beginnings, or any attempt to look at what may have lead to her becoming this way. I surmise this is because this story is presented by a person who was a dear part of Andrew's life, and he, of course, came to detest Shirley Turner and was not interested in a humanizing look at her. I can understand this. This is not the story I would get from an objective true crime journalist or writer. This is just a look at the family, and it is well done for that. I have not read the victim's father's book, Dance With the Devil, and I would suspect that to be full of wonderful detail about Andrew and Zachary, and the Canadian authorities huge failures here, which make me angry, but also no insight into the very disturbed Shirley Turner or her other potential victims. So for a more full understanding of the case, I can research it on the net. However, this documentary was very moving for what it was.

Interesting subject matter, but terrible filmmaker

[chipbridges · 2/10 · 1 February 2016]

While the storyline was fascinating, the slick MTV-style editing and constant cuts were difficult to watch. This started out as a tribute to Kurt Kuenne's fallen friend slain by a crazy lover, but ended as a jumbled mess. The look into Canada's justice system was disturbing and riveting, and the parents of the victim were amazing people that you simply had to root for. The story was excellent, and the filmmaker had much of the young man's life already on film. It was the execution of it that I had a problem with. There are stretches throughout the film where no clip is even a second long. One person's sentence is spliced into another's and so on, at such a pace that it's almost nauseating. Kurt himself also spoke with the speed of an auctioneer, which I found very distracting. It's a shame, because this documentary had the potential to be great.

No other documentary has touched my soul the way Dear Zachary has

[bailey-phillips479 · 10/10 · 4 February 2020]

I have never wrote a review before but if any film deserves one, it is Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father.

My mom and I are avid documentary watchers and we stumbled upon this doc when was on Netflix around 2013. We knew nothing going into it. But we were immediately transfixed. For a solid hour and a half we watched through laughter, through streaming tears, through the most abject, repugnant horror, and through the love that radiates from every person in this film.

Directed by Kurt Kuane, Andrew Bagby's best friend, he turned unspeakable tragedy into a story of love, justice, and a call for activism for bail reform, exposing the multiple failures of the justice system. Kurt also did an amazing job composing this film because by the end, you feel like you knew Andrew. You can feel the immense love and grief at the loss of his life and the impact it had, an impact that rippled like a tidal wave across the world by all those that love him. And to me, more than anything, you get to know Andrew's parents, David and Kate Bagby. There are not any words to describe those two beautiful, strong, resilient, dedicated, loving, angels-on-earth type of human beings they are. My heart aches and breaks for them. For all the horror that is documentary shows, there is a resounding notion of overwhelming love. For the violent, brutal, sickening, unthinkable, unspeakable atrocity these beautiful people have been through... I admire them from the bottom of my heart.

This documentary will rip your heart into pieces, ignite a burning fire of hatred in your soul... but it's worth every moment to "get to know" these beautiful people and the resilience that true love can sustain.

If you want more information after watching this, David Bagby write an incredible and just as heart breaking book called Dancing With The Devil that gives an in-depth, first hand account of what Kate and him endured moment by moment.

I would give this a hundred stars if I could.

I hope you've found any type of the slightest bit of peace and solace over the years. My thoughts are never far from you...

Always, A fellow human being

One of the Finest Documentaries I've Ever Seen...

[Pasafist · 10/10 · 3 April 2009]

It's not fair. It's shocking, and If you have a Netflix account it is essential that you sit down and spend an hour and half watching the documentary DEAR ZACHERY: A LETTER TO A SON ABOUT HIS FATHER. I mention Netflix because it is part of their watch instantly section and I can say without a shadow of a doubt: you need to see this film.

Directed by Kurt Kuenne, it's a story about him on a quest to make a movie for Zachery Turner whose father, David Bagby, was brutally murdered by his Mother. When the Canadian courts let her go on bail it turns into a story of his Grandparents fighting to stay in Zachary's life. These Grandparents never give up. But mostly the story is about the people we leave behind and the legacy that we leave in their hearts. If you think your life is useless, if you think you haven't made an impact on the people around you, then think again. This movie pulls you in at the beginning and doesn't let go.

To tell you anymore about this story is to ruin the emotional impact of a film that will leave you in tears, and thanking God for the people around you. In 90 minutes I laughed, cried, was made numb, angry, philosophical and by the end I rejoiced in the beauty of the human spirit. I saw through some very dark turns that love can conquer all. But more importantly I learned the giving up is never an option and that it's our duty to help those in need.

The film begins with some cheesy computer graphic logo, and the moniker MSNBC Films presents and maybe that's what caught me off guard. I almost turned it off right then and there. But by the time it's over the cheesy little touches made the film feel like it was made by real people and not slick Hollywood documentary film makers. It feels like one of those photo montages at a funeral, or a wedding. It a small snapshot into the lives of of people ravished by tragedy and it ends on a bittersweet note that for once shows the power of real life.

DEAR ZACHERY is one of the most powerful and moving documentaries I've ever seen. It's an emotional film that will leave you angry and yet hopeful. It tells a story that can't be made up, it rejoices in the best of people, during the darkest periods of their lives. I've seen thousands of films in my life and DEAR ZACHERY is a rewarding film, that does what all great films do. It makes you rejoice in the human spirit and demands that if we see something wrong we fix it. Please see this film, I promise you won't regret it.

One of the greatest documentaries ever made

[eddie_baggins · 10/10 · 28 August 2018]

There are very few films ever released that have the raw power and emotion that documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father has within it.

I still remember the day I sat down to watch filmmaker Kurt Kuenne's deeply personal film about his murdered long-time friend Dr. Andrew Bagby and the effect the film had on me (the film is in my top 30 films of all-time) from the moment it started until the moment it finished, it's an effect I've rarely ever had from a film and it's an experience that will live with me forever, such is the undeniable power of this once in a lifetime experience.

Dear Zachary has in the year's since its low-key release in 2008 become a film that is oft talked about in online circles as one of the greatest documentaries ever made and a film that has the ability to shock and awe like none other.

It's an experience that is best watched with as little knowledge as possible, as while Kuenne's film is rough around the edges and at times even amateurish in its approaches, there's something magical and heartfelt within it that makes Kuenne's documentary the experience it has become renowned to be.

Filled with both amazing and terrifying real-life characters that are larger than life in many instances, Kuenne carefully considered and deeply heartfelt examination of the life of his dear friend and those that were a part of his journey is filled with hilariously real insights and stunningly heartbreaking revelations about the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr. Bagby and the after-affects the followed.

The other powerful component of Dear Zachary is in its honest examination of the justice system that was present at the time in America and Canada and the way in which Kuenne explores the failure of these areas in the case of the Bagby murder is heartbreaking and highly informative, adding another layer entirely to this otherwise very intimate and unforgettable tale.

Final Say -

If there's ever a film that will break your heart as well as fill it with gladness about the good people in the world its Dear Zachary, a truly life-affirming and life-shattering journey, Kuenne's documentary is a must-watch and quite possibly the most powerful documentary ever produced.

5 home movies out of 5

Is the Canadian legal system THAT screwed up or do they simply hate America?!

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 15 February 2011]

WARNING: There are LOTS of spoilers here. I am including them because I think many would like to know about them before deciding whether or not to watch the film--especially those who have themselves have had friends or family murdered.

This is perhaps the hardest documentary you could watch--or at least among the hardest. So, if you don't want to cry or feel depressed, please do NOT watch "Dear Zachary". Now I am NOT saying it's a bad film--it's tremendous--it's just very, very hard to watch in spots--mostly because the film is true.

This documentary was made by a friend of Andrew Bagby (Kurt Kuenne). The purpose of the film was to chronicle the life and death of Andrew in order to let his young son, Zachary, know about the man his father was. That's because Andrew was murdered...murdered by Zachary's unstable and truly evil mother! Andrew was apparently very well-liked as dozens of friends, family and co-workers were interviewed for the film. You learn about his childhood, his time in medical school and his life as a budding young doctor in this film. However, it all came to a head during his residency when he had a brief relationship with another doctor--a lady who turned out to be very dangerous. When he broke up with her, she began stalking and harassing him--and ultimately murdered him and fled to Canada--and the evidence was very clear that she'd done it. There really is no doubt, though like most murderers she claimed to be innocent. Once in Canada, the woman was soon arrested--and was soon awaiting an extradition hearing. In the meantime, Shirley announced that she was pregnant and the baby was Andrew's! Now here is where it gets weird. Now you'd THINK that she'd soon be returned to the US to face trial. However, again and again and again, extradition hearings and pre-trial hearings occurred in the Canadian courts. And, during this period, much of the time Shirley was allowed to be out--without bond!! How long did all this take? Well, after about two years she was STILL out...and retained custody of her young son. Now you'd think having killed the boy's father she'd both be kept in prison AND not have custody....yet the courts seemed completely indifferent. And, in addition, the Canadian child welfare services did nothing...absolutely nothing.

During this lengthy period, Andrew's parents moved to Canada to be near Zachary. During some of the short periods during which Shirley was begin held in jail, they cared for the boy. Once she was released, they were forced to be nice to her in order to even see the child. When it eventually appeared that she would be extradited, Shirley killed herself and Zachary...a final way to curse Andrew's friends and family.

Now the story does not end here. The next twenty minutes or so consisted of discussing the aftermath of this very preventable tragedy. The many OTHER ways that the Canadian system failed were then discussed. Apparently Shirley had a history of stalking, violent behavior and suicidal ideation. Doctor's reports that warned of the final tragedy were completely ignored. Andrew's family went through hell but also decided to make the best of this--becoming advocates for change--as such awful and totally preventable tragedies can be prevented--at least the final chapter in this sick story.

This film earns a 10--not just because the subject matter is so stirring but because of the very creative way in which the film was constructed. The same friend of Andrew's who directed the film also wrote it as well as the music. Additionally, it was obviously a labor of love and must have taken an enormous amount of time to make--and at some great expense. Finally, it's an amazing film because it angers AND advocates for specific changes--something very positive despite the horrible tragedies.

Finally, a few words about my summary. I assume that the reason that the system in Canada worked so horribly was because it's become a huge, lumbering and uncaring bureaucracy--something that clearly needs to be changed. However, I sure COULD see a viewer wondering about any sort of covert animus concerning either the US or extraditions to foreign nations. While it may not be true and I am not a xenophobe, you do wonder what was motivating the judges, the prosecutor and the welfare system. How could they be so disconnected, indifferent and incompetent unless it was, at least in some cases, deliberate? The film NEVER tries to make such a statement but clearly the viewer in many cases will be left wondering what motivated these many people. This legal system sure will make me think twice before I go back to Canada--a country generally seen as safe and very civilized. I'd sure love to hear from others. Is this an isolated case? Are other extraditions handled this poorly? What was the tone in the Canadian press and among Canadians about this particular mishandled case?

He was never late Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

[jaredmobarak · 9/10 · 19 January 2009]

Non-fiction and me, we don't generally get along. Not that the truth is something I try to avoid, I just usually find documentaries too much like a school lesson, teaching rather than entertaining. Film to me is a medium that I use to go to different worlds, to be shown something new and exciting. Fiction as a rule, even if based on real events, is usually made more emotionally accessible and shown less analytically, to hit home stronger. However, every once in a while something will come out that truly astounds me, a tale that touches me on a gut level where the story transcends the monotonous narration and still frame photo after still frame photo. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is just that experience. The last thing I want to do is ruin any of the twists and turns taken by this true life account delving into the death of a beloved man, so this review may be vague. On those same regards, though, I also want to recommend not finding out the facts yourself before viewing. If you let the document play out, slowly uncovering its own secrets while you discover them too, the impact will hit so much harder. But, if a swift kick to your heart isn't what you're looking for, by all means read up on the case. It's just that that punch is what makes the film so powerful.

Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne set about making this documentary in order to collect all the memories of his slain friend, Andrew Bagby, before the people he was to interview forgot them. He travels to England to retrieve stories from Andrew's mother's family there and then sets off on a cross-North America trip to visit everyone who held a special place in their heart for his friend. Between family, friends, and co-workers, the documents captured are truly moving. It's a stunning portrait of this man that was loved by all he met. Descriptions range from how you'd feel you could trust him with your life upon first meeting to how after spending fifteen minutes in conversation, you'd feel as though you knew him longer then people you'd known twenty years. Bagby's was a life cut way too short, and the reverberations of his death literally shook the world, it's tremors spanning two continents, three countries, and countless people.

A staple in Kuenne's films from grade school, Andrew was a self-deprecating young man, always striving to be a success in the medical field. He did what he had to do, moving to Newfoundland for medical school, after being rejected from all schools the year before, and eventually settling in Pennsylvania to put down his roots. After finding that surgical medicine was not for him, Bagby stumbled upon a family practice that allowed his affable nature to come through in force. The consummate people-person, he excelled at his job, saving lives and touching them for the better. After only a couple days, one co-worker spoke of, people were already requesting to be seen by him.

Of course, this rosy glow being set around him is an obvious thing to occur. No one wants to say how horrible his friend was after he has passed. The beauty of the film is that one, every account is so genuine that you will believe he was a saint, and two, the course of events that transpire after his murder become so horrifyingly unbelievable that you will be glued to the screen waiting to see how it all ends. Thankfully Andrew had so many friends close to him, because without that line of communication no one might have known the truth of that fateful night. When an ex-girlfriend shows up at his door wanting to meet and talk, Bagby calls a friend to share the news about how "you'll never guess who showed up at my house". When that friend warns he should go out the back and call the police, that no one would drive fifteen hundred miles to see an ex without reason, Andrew just laughs and says "why?" He was such a loving and trusting person that he'd never comprehend the horrors living behind some of humanity's eyes. Monsters do exist and this film will introduce you to one of the worst.

On the other hand, though, it will also usher into your knowledge the existence of angels. Bagby's parents, David and Kathleen, are the kind of people you wish were in your life. Upon the discovery that their son was about to have a child himself before he died, the two quit their jobs and moved to Canada to try and be a part of his life … especially since his mother was the supposed killer of their Andrew. Watching the events that happen concerning the extradition case to get Shirley Jones back into the US to face criminal charges is impossible to comprehend. The sluggish judicial system and lax care on the safety of individuals, (if someone is deemed not a threat to society, they may walk free because they have already killed the one person they wanted to kill—now that's sound logic), will leave you speechless. It got to the point to where in order to be a part of their grandson's life, David and Kathleen had to visit him with his mother. They had to make play-dates and play nice with the woman who murdered their son. How they could have done that is a testament to their love for both Andrew and young Zachary, but once you hear David's account of their "options" you will see that they did look into alternative methods. When the many twists and turns rear their head, Kurt Kuenne could have easily given up on his work. But the idea of commemorating his friend kept him going and I am very glad he did.

Murder of doctor by ex-lover and subsequent legal mishandling

[mwrshop · 10/10 · 6 March 2008]

First of all, I am friends with the parents of the doctor who was murdered by his ex-lover. This documentary was made by a friend of the victim, with whom he grew up, and who is a respected filmmaker in his own right.

The miscarriage of justice in attempting to extradite (from Canada to the U.S.) the woman who murdered the doctor is difficult enough to comprehend, but there are yet other complicating factors, such as her having her victim's baby and the attempts of the baby's grandparents (parents of the victim) to obtain custody of the baby.

The film is staggering, and the filmmaker does not spare the viewer's emotions. It is brilliantly filmed and edited. The movie was premiered in the U.S. at the Slamdance Film Festival in Utah, then showed in San Jose, CA at the Cinequest, and is going on to the South by Southwest Festival in Texas. If you have a chance, check out this film--it's not particularly uplifting, but it portrays a very real problem with our justice system, not only Canada's.

One of the most heartbreaking and horrifying films you will ever see...

[Red_Identity · 15 January 2011]

Dear Zachary is a documentary, and there is a fallacy about documentaries that this one proves wrong- that they are all logic and lack heart. Kurt Kuenne has made a documentary in a way that a film itself is made, with amazing editing patterns and with a story that really grabs you and moves you. Yes, this is a sad film, but the reason a documentary like this is able to move someone so deeply is not just because it's real, but also because of the craft of the filmmaker. He is trying to make an actual memorial to these people and no words or facts will capture the true horror of a true life event as honestly as what he has created with music. The film plays out very much like a thriller, drama, and tragedy all at once.

Now, to the actual events in the film- horrifying. Of course, the film also takes a look at the unbelievably flawed legal system in Canada, but it makes one wonder. Why? Why? Why? To be honest I have never been fond of Canada and the film might play out like an attack against it but my personal feelings can't be kept inside. It is enough to truly make you hate the country. I just hope the film also makes people notice, which is the point of an actual documentary.

I usually dislike emotionally-manipulative films, but films like this when are well made cannot be disregarded. As a documentary it succeeds amazingly well.

Don't Watch on a Bad Day

[robsta23 · 7/10 · 23 January 2016]

Dear Zachary attempts to reach the son of Andrew Bagby, a man who was murdered by his lover, Shirley, the woman who was pregnant with his son. The footage portraying Andrew Bagby proves to show how he was a man with a big heart and touched many of his friends' lives. Andrew probably had more friends in his adulthood than the average prom king would have had during his high school years.

The events in this film are true as it is a documentary. The various interviews touch on Bagby's life, his death, what the interviewees want to say to his son and how the legal system needs to be reformed. Thus, as many documentaries do, this one touches on a wide variety of topics and themes while it tries to remain focused on one story as a whole. The problem is that a real story has many parts, many angles, many side stories that it needs to be represented differently than a fictional film. It is difficult to structure facts and interviews into a cohesive story with a three act structure. Details are thrown at you to digest, and some documentaries are less clear in their point than others. The documentary focusing on the Bagby's, however, keeps the viewer intrigued and leaves them heartbroken at points with tragic events (other than the death of Andrew).

There is a clear "first act" with this film as it begins by detailing Andrew's death and how he touched others, but the second and third "acts" seem to blend together. It is unclear what the climax of this documentary was supposed to be as there are at least 2 or 3 moments of high interest which seem to bring different points across, but they are important points not matter how different they are. This documentary explores the true nature of love versus evil in interesting ways and should be viewed by people who are looking for a good cause to fight for.

3.0/4.0

Intimate and Passionate: SEE IT!

[moviesleuth2 · 8/10 · 13 December 2009]

Voyeurism is a funny thing. Watching other people's little dramas or lives may seem boring at the outset, but often times it can be just as interesting, if not more so, than anything a big studio can come up with. With "Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father," we as an audience get a glimpse into a man that we otherwise would never have known. And after viewing this film, I have to graciously thank writer/director Kurt Kuenne for this.

After the murder of his lifelong best friend, Dr. Andrew Bagby, filmmaker Kurt Kuenne decided to go and interview everyone who knew Andrew in order to give his late friend's soon-to-be born son a way to know his father. But unbeknownst to anyone, this film would turn into something completely different.

Reviewing this film is difficult. For one thing, no one had any idea where this film was going (Kuenne, who narrates, openly admits this, although no one could possibly imagine what was going to happen). But more importantly, this film has something that many films don't: passion. It has a voice. This film will make you laugh, cry, scream in both terror and anger, and so much more. Even the most politically, one-sided films do not speak to the viewer like this film. In that sense, this film is a masterpiece.

But, on a critical scale, it comes up a little short. For me, the most effective bits were the interviews about Andrew. Those were funny and touching. Even if it added a few extra minutes to the running time, it would have been worth it. I felt like I could have watched a whole day's worth of interviews about Andrew. But the film gets into the struggle between Shirley Turner, Andrew's ex-girlfriend and probable murderer and Andrew's parents, who are trying to seek custody Andrew's son, Zachary. The film sort of loses focus at times, and it really inhibits Kuenne's goal in letting us know who Andrew was. At the end, it almost seems like a piece of propaganda (see the movie and you'll understand). Judging by what happens, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but still. Of minor note, the film only shows the good things about Andrew. Not that Kuenne turns him into some sort of flawless figure (Bagby does that himself), but it would have made Bagby seem more well-rounded.

Yet I wholeheartedly recommend this film. It introduces us to a wonderful person, and his name was Andrew Bagby.

Sad and good

[otnememento-2 · 7/10 · 27 July 2019]

One of the saddest documentary you will ever see. The contrast between good and kindness versus sickness and evil has never been clearer.

Decidedly tragic, but tone deaf

[rjyelverton · 4/10 · 22 January 2009]

The story at the center of this documentary is devastating. The Bagby family undergoes a horrific tragedy that was certainly hell to live through and to continue to live with. So while my deepest sympathies extend to the long-suffering Bagbys, I find the film based on their story to be seriously deficient and tone deaf. Part of the problem lies in director Kuenne's closeness to his subject. A personal friend of the Bagby family, he doesn't approach the story as a journalist, but as a man with an ax to grind. And while we understand the source of his anger by film's end, it overshadows his objectivity. He is frequently snide and dismissive. The tragedy at the film's center is done a disservice by Kuenne's frequent caricatures.

Stepping on screen in your own documentary is problematic as it quickly discounts your objectivity. It telegraphs to the audience that you may be too close to your subjects to treat their story fairly. Unless the film is about you--and "Dear Zachary" is not as much about Kuenne as he seems to think it is--it's also distracting. The film presents a very narrow picture of its subject Andrew Bagby--a man who did no wrong and was loved by everyone--that it is hard to not suspect Kuenne of hagiography. The director's greatest success is in letting the parents of Andrew vent, get angry, and weep on camera. These are the film's most unvarnished and believable moments.

The film's central conceit, as well, is dreadfully misguided. The film is ostensibly a video keepsake for Andrew's son showing the boy how much his father is loved and cherished by friends and family. So the film's divergence into repeatedly telling the boy what a she-devil his mom was comes off as unnecessarily cruel. This view of the mother begins to gain traction as the film progresses--and its inclusion slightly more justified--but it's glaringly out of place in the letter to the boy. The film morphs from letter to a son to angry director with an ax to grind making its central conceit seem unnecessary and manipulative.

Decidedly tragic, but tone deaf. An unpleasant experience.