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

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Director:

Kurt Kuenne

Writer:

Kurt Kuenne (writer)

Genre:

Documentary | Crime

Plot:

A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son.

Plot Keywords:

Pregnancy | Bestselling Novel | Ex Fiancee | Beer | Doctor

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Kurt Kuenne	...	Himself (voice)
Dr. Andrew Bagby	...	Himself (archive footage)
David Bagby	...	Himself - Father
Kathleen Bagby	...	Herself - Mother
Dr. Shirley Turner	...	Herself - Ex-Girlfriend (archive footage)
Zachary Andrew Turner	...	Himself - Son (archive footage)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dr. Heather Arnold	...	Herself - Former Fiance
Jon Atkinson	...	Himself - Friend
Bob Bagby	...	Himself - Uncle (archive footage)
Earlene Bagby	...	Herself - Bob's Widow
Linda Bagby	...	Herself - Aunt
Pat Bagby	...	Himself - Uncle
Jason Baldwin	...	Himself - Highschool Friend
Derek Barnard	...	Himself - Uncle
John Barnard	...	Himself - Cousin
Paul Barnard	...	Himself - John's Brother
Pete Barnard	...	Himself - Cousin
Ruth Barnard	...	Herself - Aunt
Robin Bates	...	Herself - Friend
Dr. John Bertolino	...	Himself - Residency Director
Dr. David Billings	...	Himself - Classmate
Dr. Lori Billings	...	Herself - Classmate
Helen Bloomfield	...	Herself - Godmother
Dr. Ian Bowmer	...	Himself - Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Jacqueline Brazil	...	Herself - Lawyer
Elizabeth Day	...	Herself - St. John's Regional Director of Child, Youth & Family Services (archive footage)
Danette Dooley	...	Herself - Friend
Dr. John Doucet	...	Himself - Shirley's Psychiatrist (archive footage)
Mary Dray	...	Herself - Student Affairs - Memorial University of Newfoundland
Dr. Ken Eckhert	...	Himself - Classmate
Karl Fischer	...	Himself - Friend
Marci Fischer	...	Herself - Friend
Olivier Galgani	...	Himself - Friend
Derek Green	...	Himself - Judge, Chief Justice (archive footage)
Vera Griffin	...	Herself - Student Affairs - Memorial University of Newfoundland
Himanshu	...	Himself - College Roomate
James	...	Himself - College Roomate
Mack Janke	...	Himself - Friend
Chris Koehler	...	Himself - Friend
Dr. Greg Little	...	Himself - Colleague
Dr. Tony Locke	...	Himself - Classmate
Dr. Jennifer Lombard	...	Herself - Classmate
Dr. Mark Lombard	...	Himself - Classmate
Dr. Janice Manthorne	...	Herself - Classmate
Dr. Scott McClellan	...	Himself - Professor
Pete McNab	...	Himself - Friend
Jan Mills	...	Herself - Friend
Dr. Anthony Monteverdi	...	Himself - Classmate
Darlene Nelville	...	Herself - Child & Youth Advocate (archive footage)
Matt Oetinger	...	Himself - Friend
Randy Piercy	...	Himself - Shirley's Lawyer (archive footage)
Michelle Pualuan	...	Herself - Friend
Dr. Suzanne Putnam	...	Herself - Colleague
Rhonda Ridenhour	...	Herself - Bob's Daughter
Dr. Andrew Rossiter	...	Himself - Classmate
Dr. Jennifer Shaulis	...	Herself - Colleague
T.J. Shears	...	Himself - Shirley's Son (archive footage)
Bob Sheraga	...	Himself - Friend
Sue Sheraga	...	Herself - Friend
Dr. Clark Simpson	...	Himself - Colleague
Dr. Rick Singleton	...	Himself - Grief Counselor
Gerald Smith	...	Himself - Provincial Minister of Health (archive footage)
Chris Snow	...	Himself - Minister - St. Michael's Parish
Carol Stein	...	Herself - Friend
Dr. Leslie Thomas	...	Herself - Classmate
Dr. Sherri-Lynn Tucker	...	Herself - Classmate
Kristian Vallèe	...	Himself - College Roommate
Gail Welsh	...	Herself - Judge (archive footage)

Runtime:

USA:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

MSNBC Films

Quotes:

Kathleen Bagby: And the policeman who found him said that, um, he had wrapped him in a blanket rather than a plastic bag and, uh, he and another officer carried him gently back. And he made very sure that he kept the body very far away from the wicked woman who had murdered him.

Movie Connections:

References Tombstone (1993)

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

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.