Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

The phrase labor of love is so often tossed about, but Kurt Kuenne's emotionally wrenching documentary is absolutely that. Dear Zachary is the type of film that is best seen with as little foreknowledge as possible. However, even knowing the basic premise of Dear Zachary, I was so devastated in the first five minutes that I had to watch it over the course of two days.

That said, it is necessary to mention the story behind this movie — the murder of Kuenne's childhood friend Dr. Andrew Bagby and Kuenne's determination to collect as many memories of his friend as possible. Kuenne traveled to England to interview Andrew's family, across the United States to talk to relatives and friends, and to Canada where Bagby's parents, Kate and David Bagby, were waiting for the nearly motionless wheels of justice there to turn in the prosecution of their son's murderer. Unfortunately, unbelievably, this story takes an even more tragic turn as Kuenne is making his movie.

Dear Zachary is masterfully put together, as Kuenne splices his exhaustive archive of home movies the two made as teens with photos, the funny and loving stories Bagby's family, friends and colleagues confide to the camera, and the exasperating lack of progress in the case against Bagby's murderer. Kate and David Bagby slowly but surely become just as pivotal to the story as Andrew himself as they make a life for themselves without their beloved only child in the city where his murderer walks free.

It's impossible to fully explain the pain, sorrow, and love this documentary holds without ruining its effects on future viewers. If this superlative film isn't screening near you, you can watch it on MSNBC on December 7th, 2008, at 9 PM. Visit http://www.dearzachary.com/ for more information, although be advised that the site does have more details about the case.