Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father: 3 stars

There is an age-old argument about whether life imitates art or the other way around. I’m on the side of the fence that believes art imitates life, and the documentary film “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” could be used as the backbone for this argument. Unfortunately for the Bagby family, you just can’t make a story like this up. It is all too real and it happened to them.

“Dear Zachary” starts out as the heartfelt memorial project from the childhood friend of a much beloved doctor and turns into a horror story that is unraveled before out eyes. Dr. Andrew Bagby was murdered in Pennsylvania in 2001. His ex-girlfriend, and prime suspect, fled to her hometown in Newfoundland shortly thereafter. Four months later Andrew’s family and friends are told she is pregnant with Andrew's child and a heated custody and legal battle ensues. The film is many things at once; it is a heartfelt eulogy for a dearly missed family member and friend, a true-crime case file, and the story of grandparents trapped by a flawed judicial system.

Director Kurt Kuenne does not cut out any of the raw emotion in this very personal account. In addition to directing Kuenne serves as the narrator. Viewers will hear him holding back tears during parts that are difficult to think about let alone say out loud. Andrew Babgy was very loved and is intensely missed. That fact is elegantly painted through the many interviews with family and friends. I could have sworn they were people from my family. Everyone is very honest and sincere and Kuenne does a great job of editing in this sense. I may be wrong, but it appears he kept parts in the film that I’m sure the subjects expected to be left out. Allowing the real nit and grit to be told paints the filmmaker in a more trustworthy light. However, since the subject matter is so close to Kurt’s heart it is impossible to be completely objective. This story is so nightmarish that the editing and sound effect techniques applied in some scenes are not needed and the word campy even entered my head. This is never good for a documentary. However, given the situation surrounding the creation of the film, and the very engaging story held within, Kuenne’s artistic choices are very understandable if not forgivable.

I’m not sure it was the filmmaker’s intention, but for me the film also delivers a profound message about grieving. Many who have endured any great loss in their life will be struck by certain interviews with Andrews Parents. At times his Father turns into a hateful person, a stark contrast to the good natured and calm person we see throughout the rest of the film. He later turns this raw emotion into being an activist for judicial reform. Andrew’s parents teach us that we must confront and deal with our demons before they destroy us, and one way to do that is to channel that energy into something positive.

“Dear Zachary” isn’t an award-winning documentary and doesn’t break any new ground artistically. However, it does convey a very enthralling and emotional story that deserves to be told. I couldn’t help but think about all of the similar stories that likely exist throughout the world, and wondered how many films like this would exist if they all had a ready and willing filmmaker to capture them.