X
- 2008
- Not Rated
- Oscilloscope
- 1 h 35 m
- 2008
- Not Rated
- Oscilloscope
- 1 h 35 m
Summary Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a uniquely intense and personal documentary about the murder of Kurt’s oldest friend and the unbelievable legal and emotional madness that ensued. [Oscilloscope Pictures]
Directed By: Kurt Kuenne
Written By: Kurt Kuenne
- 2008
- Not Rated
- Oscilloscope
- 1 h 35 m
- 2008
- Not Rated
- Oscilloscope
- 1 h 35 m
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
82
8.5
Where to Watch
Summary Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a uniquely intense and personal documentary about the murder of Kurt’s oldest friend and the unbelievable legal and emotional madness that ensued. [Oscilloscope Pictures]
Directed By: Kurt Kuenne
Written By: Kurt Kuenne
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
82
91% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
9% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
82
91% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
9% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
An undeniably shattering story, if forgivably shaky in its impassioned, therapeutic unfolding.
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 58 User Ratings
8.5
91% Positive
53 Ratings
53 Ratings
3% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
5% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 58 User Ratings
8.5
91% Positive
53 Ratings
53 Ratings
3% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
5% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
Dear Zachary is one of the most powerful, evocative, and emotionally draining documentaries that has ever been made. If you like documentaries at all, this is a must-see. I won't say anymore than that because this is a film that is best seen "going-in-blind" as they say.
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Among the most enraging (documentaries) I've ever seen, and while it's fine and heartfelt and I commend it to those of you with strong constitutions, it is the film that has finally broken me.
It is impossible not to be fired up by Kurt Kuenne's incendiary cri de coeur, Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father.
Kuenne lovingly assembles home-movie footage and new interviews, while deftly borrowing a narrative trick from fiction--the plot twist--to create a true-crime story so gripping, devastating, and ultimately unforgettable that it easily trumps any thriller Hollywood has to offer this year.
A gut-wrenching experience.
The way Kuenne presents the material, with an aggressive style that lingers less than a second on most shots, it's impossible not to feel emotionally exhausted.
I think some people missed the point of the way this film was made--it has a home made, family type feel because it is a deeply personal and heartbreaking story. It is an effective way to tell a terrible story, and I was very impressed because it actually inspired me to want to do something to help and not just carry on with my day as so many more professional documentaries do. Excellent and moving. On a personal note, it made me very ashamed of my native legal system (I'm a Canadian).
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David Bagby and Kathleen Bagby lost both they son and they own grandchild and I can feel they pain and it's amazing how much they hold strong during tough and difficult times. God bless you Kathleen and David, stay strong.
Dear Zachary is about a filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son.
I've seen many Documentary's in the past that can make me tear up or get me shocked, well not like this one that actually got to me deep inside. To those who think I'm spoiling the whole Documentary well all this did happen and thanks to the world wide web if you even search this up it would already be spoiled for you, even at the start of this review I already spoiled it.
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a heartbreaking and a truly outstandingly documentary that I got to warn you it's not a easy watch sometimes, because this has to be the most depressing Documentary I ever come across. These never like a full happy moment, just a tragic one to get your head around. Now will recommend this and the answer is yes and no as well, just like I said early it's not a easy watch and some people like the happy go lucky stories with a happy ending, but to those who can handle this kind of story then go ahead because it's worth a watch. It's a powerful Documentary.
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This **** should come with a warning. What can I say? I was deeply moved by this film but at the same time I was extremely disturbed. I have never before written a review for a movie, but even 3 hours after finishing this documentary...I cant move on. I cried like I have never cried before. And this film made me feel things that i have never experienced with a movie. I felt mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted after completing it. With all of this being said, it is just absolutely spectacular. It will change you, at least for the rest of your day. I have a feeling I wont be the same for the rest of the **** least. THE SADDEST AND MOST MOVING FILMS I HAVE EVER SEEN.
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Obvious spoiler warning.
The story that this documentary is based on deserves to be told and that Kuenne wanted to create a tribute to his friend is a touching idea. Unfortunately, he didn't do as good a job with it as he could have, simply because of his editing and the way he told the story. The source material is great and he has plenty of it, but instead of letting all the people he interviewed and all the documents tell this sad and infuriating story, Kuenne apparently felt the need to "enhance" his documentary with an annoying amount of effects and often frantic editing. Gut punches like the cut from the news about Zachary's disappearance to the report about his death (easily the most shocking moment of the documentary) are completely ruined by this decision. The worst part were the childish Monty-Pythonesque scenes that showed an image of whoever was quoted with a comical CGI mouth and the endless repetitions near the end, just in case the viewer didn't get the point during the first dozen times.
This should have been the masterpiece it deserved to be, but I guess that Kuenne couldn't control his emotions while putting the documentary together.
Report
Edited horribly: too fast, I cant even follow and that ruined the whole movie.
Report
Production Company
MSNBC Films
Release Date Oct 31, 2008
Duration 1 h 35 m
Rating Not Rated
Genres
Website
http://www.dearzachary.com/
Awards
Online Film Critics Society Awards
• 2 Nominations
National Board of Review, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Docville
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
