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

“[to Andrew in home movie] I have a good idea: I’ll go back in time and stop you from dying. ” – Kurt Kuenne

 

Number of Times Seen – 1 (11 Oct 2015)

 

Brief Synopsis – After one of his best friends is murdered under suspicious circumstances, a film maker sets out to create a video memory for his friend’s unborn son… and then things gets very complicated.

 

My Take on it – I found this movie purely by accident and it truly was a life changing experience.

It all started when my friend Patrick of @Moviereview365 posted this on twitter:

 

 

 

Just that two line review got me interested in checking this movie out and it was a decision that really has impacted me in so many ways that I can’t even begin to describe them in a spoiler free review like this.

That being said, in order to get the full impact of this story it is best to watch it completely spoiler free, so I suggest that you try to not read too much about it beforehand.

This is by far one of the best films that I’ve ever seen because of the love and emotion that resonates from every frame.

It is some a personal movie that Kuenne was willing to share with the world in order to tell an amazing and tragic story.

This movie is about 90 minutes long and it encompasses such a whopping tale that despite it being the perfect length, the viewer has no desire to leave the people involved in this powerful and tragic story.

The world has truly lost a powerfully charismatic personality with the tragic death of Bagby and we must all give thanks to Kuenne for introducing us to such an epic tale about an amazing family.

This movie makes me wish I would have known him and due to our proximity in age, I truly wonder whether we would have possibly been friends if we would have met.

My gut says yes, but unfortunately I will never know.

After watching this movie, I urge you to watch these links:

This is the 15 minute epilogue that is just as impactful as the movie itself.

This is an interview with Director Kurt Kuenne about the difficulty in creating a film about a close friend’s tragedy.

All three of these movies will make you cry but will also make you proud of what Kuenne and Bagby’s family have accomplished with the making of this film.

It is truly a memorial to such a tragic loss.

If you have never seen this movie, I strongly urge you to see it as soon as possible.

Since completing my Temporal Top Ten lists in July, I have yet to add any new movies to any of the top ten lists for the years presented.

This movie has the privilege, honor and distinction of being the first to make such a huge change. Check out my movies of 2008 to see where this movie stands.

Bottom Line – One of the best films I’ve ever seen. So emotionally powerful that despite it being the perfect length you never want to leave this incredible and tragic tale. We are able to easily (and regrettably) feel the loss of Andrew Bagby in our world and despite never knowing him, the viewer feels as if we also were friends with him. The fifteen minute epilogue available online is just as powerful and will emit even more tears. If you’ve never seen this…go see it now! Highly Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Dear Zachary was a hit at Slamdance in Jan 2008 Both screenings were sold out and received sustained standing ovations, an exceptionally rare event in the 14 year history of Slamdance. (From DearZachary.com)

Rating – Oscar Worthy

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