Movie Review: Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

I finally got some time to check out this movie, and it was well worth it. Despite the fact the film had me in tears, and visibly shaken up for the most film, I highly recommend this documentary. I don't want to reveal to much of this film, because I feel it will take away from its power, but I a little background information.

The documentary is shot and directed by Kurt Kuenne, a close friend of Andrew Bagby. Andrew used to play important roles in many of Kurt's films when he was an aspiring film maker. Andrew even helped produce one of his first full length films. Tragically Andrew, was murdered, and this film documents, his murder in a first rate real true crime story. In fact it plays out so well, it could be argued that this film is as much a thriller as it is documentary. I don't want anyone to be scared away because it is a documentary.

The first thing that stands out is how well this film is edited. The director cuts, from powerful imagery of Andrews youth, films they have done together, shots of Andrew and his parents, as well as horrific shots of the crime scene. For the most part the editing happens so quickly (they jump from shot to shot in seconds) that you are unsure exactly what you are seeing. The information comes at you at such a fast pace at the start of this film, but the imagery is so powerful, that you are able to take it all in. From all of that, I was taken on a roller coaster ride of emotion. At times I laughed, cried, was upset, and was relieved when it was over. Many people wonder why I would enjoy a movie that would do that, however that is exactly what I want to happen when I watch a good movie. I want to get so wrapped up in the movie that I cannot stop thinking about it hours after the end credits flash. This movie is the best in a long time in getting me wrapped up emotionally as well as having my mind spinning. I don't want to give away any twists from this film, but I assure you, that it will have an effect on you.

This film was meant to be shot for only family of the victims, but it becomes so powerful that I think everyone of the family members knew that this story needed to get out there. The director was not after any academy awards or critical acclaim so he could focus on just pushing his vision, and not getting caught up in a lot of the pretentious film making we see from so many directors today. He didn't use camera tricks, or visual effects, to get a false response from the audience. He just delivers the facts of this powerful story, and that is more than enough. To me he succeeded in a big way, and Dear Zachary is one of the best films I have seen in a long while.