Review of Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) by Hunter D — 14 Jul 2010

"Emotionally devastating" is a good way to describe DEAR ZACHARY. For those of you who are unaware of the story behind this film, DEAR ZACHARY was originally conceived by Kurt Kuenne as a way for a boy named Zachary to get to know his late father, Dr.

Andrew Bagby, who was murdered by Dr. Shirley Turner, Bagby's jilted lover and mother to Zachary. If only the film could have just been that. What unfolds is a heart-wrenching saga about Bagby's parents trying to wrestle custody of their grandchild away from their son's killer as they are treated like criminals by the Canadian government, while they meanwhile allow a first degree murderer to walk the streets, baby in tow (where's Harry Callahan when you need him?).

The film becomes not only a portrait of Bagby, but also a true crime doc, as well as a call for reform in the Canadian court system, which failed the Bagby family on a level so enormous, you can't help but wonder what the bureaucrats involved could possibly have been thinking.

DEAR ZACHARY is a movie that elicits almost every emotion imaginable, and in the end it will leave you exhausted, and while that may not sound appealing, I guarantee you this film will touch you in an unforgettable way.

It'll make you want to hug your parents, cherish your friends, and count your blessings. It's the most beautiful kind of movie there is.