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

To me, this movie is perfection.

Crappy film

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

One of the best documentaries I have ever seen. If I could recommend 5 documentaries to someone, this would be on that list without a doubt. Emotional story that was very well produced. Loved it!

I was on YouTube watching a video called "10 documentaries you have to watch on Netflix" (or something like that) and this was one of them. The summary he gave of the film was basically 'guy makes film to Zachary about his dads murder', and at first I thought that it would be an OK movie. I thought that it would be simple and sweet. And it definitely wasn't what I thought it would be. Bad things about this film •Its a bit to fast •Some people would say the editing wasn't the best •This film will make you angry (which could be a good thing to some people) •You will cry (which, could also be a good sign to some people)Good things about this film •It brings to light some problems you might not have known were even problems •You will fell like you were apart of there family and were there as it happens •You would never guess the endingThis is on Netflix and I think its a great movie, if I were you I would stop reading the reviews and go watch this movie right now.

The movie, Dear Zachary A Letter to a Son About his Father is a heart wrenching documentary about murder. The emotions shown are real and will play in your mind forever. They retell the story as if you knew him personally. The director and narrator a friend of Andrew Bagby, Andrew's father, tells the story perfectly. This movie will emotionally tear your heart in two, this movie will make you feel loss and introduces a cause worth fighting for. The seething anger that this movie shows and the resourcefulness of the parents is awe inspiring. The love shown through Bagby's friends to his parents letting his parents know that they still have kids even though Andrew is gone. The parents even recollect how they thought about committing suicide. The movie has many elements however it uses a lot of jump cuts to show how everyone who was a part of Andrew Bagby's life was affected. The movie opens with people naming characteristics of Mr. Babgy with words such as he was kind, intelligent, funny. The parents are shown and are crying the dad is seething that his son was murdered. The director interviews friends from med school, high school, and even family. The way this movie flows is exquisite. The music in the background sets the tone and since the narrator is the director and Bagby's friend he already establishes his ethos.The movie was about Andrew Bagby who was in a relationship with Shirley Turner. As their relationship grows distant Turner murders Bagby. The raw footage and reactions are almost unbearable to watch. The movie is uncomfortable to watch and makes you question how criminals are dealt with. The parents are the heroes of this story fighting for change always being proactive. Shirley Turner could get out of jail two times on bail for murder. The system allowed her to kill not only Bagby with no repercussion but the kid that Turner had with Andrew Bagby. The system in Newfoundland Canada must be changed and Andrew Bagby's parents are fighting for this to happen. The call to arms in the movie moved me in a way I didn't think was possible in a documentary. The movie uses footage not only of interviews but of the real-life situation what was playing out while the director was filming it. The firsthand account of Zachary's death even surprised the viewer. Every person, every situation seems so tangible. We even get to see how Bagby grew up because of the director making movies with his friends as a kid.In conclusion, this movie was a roller coaster of emotions that I cannot recommend enough. The director being so close to Bagby as a friend made the film from just a tribute to a masterpiece. Dear Zachary A Letter to a Son About his Father was meant for Bagby's son so he could know about his dad but was taken to soon. Is there any justice in the system to find out more follow Katie and David Bagby's story and fight to remove bail from murderers.

This Documentary ranks in the top 3 documentaries of all time next to 'Thin Blue Line' and 'Man on Wire'. Some people may dispute my top 3 list, however I will argue why I think that Dear Zachary is better than the other two. Thin Blue Line was notable for exonerating a man from a wrongful conviction. Man on Wire is a real life heist movie with an incredible story about the World Trade Towers in New York.Dear Zachary encompasses two themes that mirror the aforementioned and combine into a greater narrative: the story of an evil murderous woman who was never properly convicted and a story of several terrible crimes that went unpunished and lead to the exposure of major dysfunction in the Canadian justice/legal system. This documentary is not for the weak of heart but for those interested in the film aspects, it is evident that the filmmaker has made a painstaking effort to assemble footage in a way that hurt his very soul to share with you. A more honest documentary has never been made.