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David Bagby, Kathleen Bagby, Heather Arnold, Kurt Kuenne, Dr. Andrew Bagby ... see more see more... , Zachary Andrew Turner , Shirley Turner , Dr. Shirley Turner

Shortly after his best friend, Dr. Andrew Bagby, was slain by jealous ex-girlfriend Dr. Shirley Turner, filmmaker Kurt Kuenne was shocked to learn that Turner was pregnant with Bagby's unborn child. H... read more read more...oping to create a film that would serve as both a memorial to Bagby and an introduction to the father the boy would never know, Kuenne quickly began production on a film celebrating the life of his late friend. Traveling across the entire continental United States, Kuenne made it his personal mission to interview everyone who had ever known his best friend so their memories would be captured on camera before they faded. Meanwhile, upon learning that Turner had fled to Newfoundland, Bagby's devastated parents uprooted their entire lives and relocated to the easternmost providence of Canada in order to fight for the future of their newborn grandson, Zachary. During the production, however, the Canadian government freed Turner on bail as she awaited extradition to the United States. Unfortunately, during that crucial time, the situation took a turn for the worse -- a turn that could have been prevented had the Canadian justice system heeded all the warning signs. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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49 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Kurt Kuenne

Release Date: October 31, 2008

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DVD Release Date: February 24, 2009

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Flixster Reviews (842)

  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    August 18, 2011
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "My name is Kurt and I'm a filmmaker. Andrew appeared in every movie I made growing up. I decided to make a movie, to travel far and wide, to interview everyone who ever knew and loved Andrew."

    A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girl... read morefriend announces she is expecting his son.

    REVIEW

    It makes me sad to see people criticizing "Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father" for its technical limitations. I rented knowing only it was about a pregnant woman who killed her ex-boyfriend, the subsequent plight of the victim's parents and their agonizing efforts to win the custody of their grandson, Zachary (whose mother was released on bail). But the whole story is so unpredictable - and devastatingly sad - that the less you know about it, the better.

    Writer/director/producer/composer Kurt Kuenne was a close friend of Dr. Andrew Bagby, who was killed by a psychotic woman, "Dr." Shirley Turner, right after he had broken up with her. He decided to make a final film with his childhood friend Andrew, and when they learned Shirley was pregnant with Andrew's baby, whom she named Zachary, it became more than a tribute to a friend, but a project to show Zachary the father he would never get to know. With Shirley at large, however, their nightmare wasn't over.

    With such a tough, emotional subject, it would be easy to get overtly sentimental, but Kuenne does a terrific job. The film is obviously a very personal project, and visibly no-budget, but that's not an issue because this is not a film meant to be visibly stunning. Apparently, some people are way too cynical to appreciate a film for its heart and content rather than focusing on its aesthetics and "artiness". Had this film been directed by, say, Michael Moore, it would have been more incendiary and garnered larger media attention, but wouldn't have been half as passionate, compelling and, most important, honest.

    Kuenne uses the cinematic tool to document history, make a tribute for beloved friends (not only Andrew and little Zachary, but also Andrew's parents, David and Kathleen, the emotional core of this story) and to instigate the audience, both emotionally and intellectually. When most movies that get a wide release don't even attempt either of these goals, this is a remarkable achievement. Not to be missed.
  • Beefy
    June 12, 2011
    Beefy
    I'm glad I waited so long to watch this. And I'm glad it was ruined for me before I did. It made the film emotionally muted for me. I'll never know if it could have been a more powerful experience, but I'm okay with that. Sheesh.
  • jennifxu
    May 1, 2011
    jennifxu
    Dear Zachary is one of the finest, most organic documentaries I've seen in a very long time. I love that Kurt Kuenne ltried to et the events speak for themselves and remain objective, but it was clear that he had an emotional stake in the material, which definitely added to the p... read moreush and pull tension behind the camera. It's everything my ideal documentary should be - heartrending, adorable, narratively transfixing.
  • hobster1
    April 3, 2011
    hobster1
    Gut-wrenching documentary about Dr. Andrew Bagby, a resident in family practice in Latrobe, Pennsylvania who is shot to death by Shirley Turner, his unstable girlfriend. Soon after his murder, it is discovered that she is pregnant with his unborn child. This document would then... read more serve as a memorial honoring the father little Zachary never knew. At first this record suggests a home movie made to commentate a loved one, something very intimate to be shared only with close relatives. Haphazard and awkwardly constructed, the amateurish style actually contributes to its immediacy. Many relatives, friends, and associates attest to their love and admiration for Andrew and support for his parents, David and Kathleen. There is hope within this loving and dedicated group. Although it includes numerous testimonials, it becomes much more than a tribute. The memoir soon shifts focus from Andrew to his parents as they seek to gain custody of grandson Zachary, from the woman they suspected of killing their son. As we are further drawn into the Bagby's world, we sympathize with their terrible plight and share in their cause. The intestinal fortitude shown by Bagby's parents is unbelievable. They display a strength of character I doubt few people could muster in the midst of such despair. It's admirable. My heart goes out to them and I was touched by the devotion they had for their grandson.

    Ultimately, I think what makes the account so difficult to endure is what happens next could have been prevented. Because Shirley fled from the United States to Newfoundland before she was charged, the case falls under the jurisdiction of the Canadian courts first to extradite her so she can face a U.S. trial. To reveal anything more would be to rob the documentary of its power, but it highlights extreme failures of the legal system, instilling an utter hatred for the process. No evidence is ever given to explain the outrageous miscarriage of justice that occurred. We understand WHAT happened, but not WHY. Director Kurt Kuenne wants you to experience the same pain the parents feel and it hurts. It would have helped if psychiatrist Dr. John Doucet and Justice Gale Welsh, both from Newfoundland, had agreed to be interviewed. It is not surprising they declined, but their behavior is so mind numbingly egregious, it screams for an explanation. How could they have behaved the manner in which they did? Their conduct is quite simply, infuriating. By the end of the film, you will be filled with grief and anger. The disturbing resolution will haunt you for days.
  • imrealgod
    February 1, 2010
    imrealgod
    Well-made documentary that's surely worth a watch. One may find it a biased account though, since it seems to show only (or mostly) the good sides of certain people (who happen to be closely related to the director) & only the evil/dark side of someone else. But that doesn't affe... read morect a bit to the main point this documentary tends to highlight, that is, there are loopholes in law which ought to be mended at the earliest.

    Finally, can't help but mention that this is just another case wherein my all-time favorite quote (from the movie "The Onion Field") fits perfectly well:
    "If only I could send some lawyers & judges to the gas chamber."
  • romy861
    March 17, 2009
    romy861
    Interesting documentary. Sad.
  • mrbungle7821
    December 8, 2008
    mrbungle7821
    [font=Arial][color=DarkRed][i]Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father[/i] is an extremely personal movie, but it's also a gut-wrenching, emotionally devastating film that will completely empty out your tear ducts. As an ardent fan of film, I cannot fully advise doing som... read moree research on the real-life case before seeing the movie, but those with less strong sensibilities may be better off knowing what they are going to be in for. This film is emotionally draining and infuriating, but it is also unquestionably one of the best films of the year, bar none. Just thinking back on it makes me have to fight back tears.

    In 2001, Dr. Andrew Bagby died at age 28. The squat man had a chubby face, a large personality, and an innate ability to make friends wherever he went. Here was a case where one man made a difference simply by living out his life (several grooms had pegged him to be their Best Man in weddings). Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne decided to make a movie that would serve as a living testimony to the life of his departed friend. He traveled the nation, interviewing scads of friends and relatives about what Andrew meant to them. For Kuenne, Andrew was his childhood best friend and the star of numerous home videos, which are a treasure trove of footage that reveal a charismatic star.

    But, you see, Andrew didn't simply die, he was murdered. He was enrolled at med school in St. John's, Newfoundland. There he met a woman who became instantly smitten and very emotionally needy. Dr. Shirley Turner was 40, twice divorced, and controlling. Friends lament that Andrew's fragile sense of self-esteem when it came to girls probably made it easy for him to relish the lavish attention that Turner gave him. He found a family practice in Pennsylvania for his medical internship, and he didn't invite Turner to come along. After being dumped, she drove 1000 miles to talk to Andrew. The next morning he was dead, lying facedown in a park and having been shot five times. The circumstantial evidence was pretty damning for Turner, so she fled the country back to St. John's in Canada. Andrew's family thought the extradition process would be over quickly, but the wheels of justice in Canada spin even slower, and Tuner, a likely pre-meditated first degree murderer, was allowed to be free on bail even though she didn't have to put a single cent down, nor did anyone else.

    But this is where the story gets even more tragic. Turner revealed to the world that she was four months pregnant, and a DNA paternity test revealed that Andrew was the father. Andrew's parents, David and Kate Bagby, moved to St. John's to gain custody of the last link they had to Andrew. Kuenne's film had a new purpose: to educate a child about the father that they will reluctantly never know. Turner gave birth while in prison and named the child Zachary Andrew Turner. Amazingly, the Canadian courts gave Turner custody while the extradition process dragged on for nearly two years. One ruling by appeals Judge Gale Welsh will make your head explode. While Turner was in jail and going to be extradited, Welsh granted Turner bail, again, without requiring Turner to put any money down, again (are numbers just meaningless?). Welsh ruled that Turner did not pose a threat to the community because the alleged crime of murder was "not directed at the public at large but was specific in nature." Ergo, because Turner only sought to kill one man and succeeded, surely she poses no risk to others. Excuse me? And you're a freaking judge? It does actually get worse from there.

    You will likely not see a more chilling antagonist in a movie this year than that of Dr. Shirley Turner. I do not say this lightly, but this woman is evil. You never see a glimmer of remorse in her eyes, only cunning manipulation and a deep psychosis. She readily knows the power she has and punishes Andrew's parents over and over, putting them through an emotional wringer to be near their grandson, and all the while Turner pretends like nothing of consequence happened. It's like a normal play-date between her and her in-laws. I am amazed that Andrew's parents were able to swallow so much injustice to be involved with Zachary, the last living connection to their lost son. When David Bagby says how much he hated Turner, you too will feel every bit of seething anguish. To be fair, Kuenne's film is wholly biased when it comes to his depiction of Turner, but you know what? I don't care. Let's objectively compare Andrew and Turner and see what each left in their wake. Andrew has a glut of friends and family that mourn him. Turner does not. This woman is evil and she had a long history of dangerously unstable behavior that Canadian justice officials ignored. The lengths that Turner will go to hurt others is terrifying. This woman makes Joan Crawford look like a responsible parent.

    But while it's the horror and tragedy and near unbearable sadness that will long stay with you, Kuenne's movie also is a showcase for the capacity of human goodness. Andrew's parents should be fast-tracked for sainthood after having to obey the whims of their son's emotionally disturbed killer, who astoundingly was given the upper hand in the custody battle in Canada. David and Kate are exceptional people, both hardscrabble and resourceful but also funny and enormously good-hearted. When they move to St. John's they immerse themselves in the community and quickly collect new friends. Many of Andrew's friends feel like they were practically adopted by his parents; they will readily credit David and Kate for expertly raising such a beloved person. [i]Dear Zachary[/i] is a terrific example of people who excel at parenting, who instinctively know how to tackle the greatest challenge in life, shaping a human being. Kate is so naturally loving with little Zachary that it eventually causes friction with Turner when she realizes that the baby doesn't want to leave grandma's arms. By the conclusion, you will feel better about the state of humanity that there are people like David and Kate out there to make a difference in a thousand subtle ways in a thousand different lives.

    As a filmmaker, Kuenne doesn't overwhelm his true-life tragedy with spiffy visual artifice. That doesn't mean [i]Dear Zachary[/i] feels like a glorified home movie. It's somewhat morbidly fascinating to watch one man work through his grief, and the film serves ultimately as a means of catharsis for the filmmaker. In that regard, Keunne can be forgiven for overdoing it a tad with some music cues trying to amp up emotion that's already present. He also displays his understandable anger at certain points that mock Canadian authorities and Turner. The imperfections seem to make it feel more authentic. The documentary is only 90-some minutes but Kuenne packs lots of information and interviews into a small space of time. In fact, Kuenne serves as director, writer, narrator (he occasionally even gets choked up), composer, but his work as editor is the most accomplished. Through teams of interviews and home movies, Kuenne is able to bring Andrew to life in a manner where an ordinary audience member feels like they know the guy. The editing can be spastic, sometimes interviews bleed over into one another and Kuenne uses elliptical sound bites for poignancy. The editing keeps viewers alert and intrigued. I never found the editing to be problematic, but I welcomed Kuenne trying to pack as much life into his film about recreating a life.

    [i]Dear Zachary[/i] is a documentary that needs to be seen to be believed, and it desperately and deservedly needs to be seen. This potent doc is emotionally wrenching and will stir up great anger, which might just point lynch mobs toward our bewildered neighbors to the North. But Kuenne's film isn't just a sad movie that requires a few boxes of tissue at hand. No, [i]Dear Zachary[/i] is also inherently a very life-affirming tale about the long reach of human goodness, as evidenced by Andrew and his parents. According to the Internet lords, [i]Dear Zachary[/i] will be broadcast on the TV network MSNBC on Sunday, December 14 at 4:00 PM. I highly advise anyone with access to a television to not miss the opportunity of watching this movie. While the Academy has already left [i]Dear Zachary[/i] off its shortlist for the Best Documentaries of 2008, I doubt you'll find a more stirring and heart-breaking story in documentary form.

    Nate's Grade: A[/color][/font]
  • gator681
    January 8, 2010
    gator681
    "Dear Zachary" is an emotional labor of love with more than its fair share of shocking twists by filmmaker Kurt Kuenne about his childhood friend Andrew Bagby who was senselessly and brutally murdered, presumably by his ex-girlfriend Shirley Turner, on November 5, 2001. The docu... read morementary is addressed to Andrew's son, Zachary, starting with: Your father was ____. During a transcontinental odyssey, Kuenne interviews Andrew's vast network of friends, family and colleagues, allowing them to fill in the blank, showing how complex a single human being can be.

    However, while leaving out key details, "Dear Zachary" gets more muddled as it goes on, becoming something akin to a true crime show on cable television(MSNBC co-produced.) in seemingly making a kneejerk attack against the entire criminal justice system. Eventually, the documentary advocates the same line of thinking that was disastrous to this country for the past eight years. Yes, there was a horrendous miscarriage of justice but shouldn't a person be more remembered for his life than his death?
  • michaelneumann
    March 10, 2009
    michaelneumann
    Mac-posted entry! What fun!

    Best of 2008 list, in thread-form, should be my next production.
  • lesleyanorton
    July 17, 2011
    lesleyanorton
    Documentary about two parents whose beloved son is murdered by an ex-girlfriend who then gives birth to their grandchild. Understandably one-sided but I missed finding out anything about the obviously disturbed ex-girlfriend beyond "evil bitch from hell".

View All Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father Reviews

Critic Reviews

Stanley Kauffmann
November 20, 2008
Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic

A slick account of ancient crevices in the human psyche rendered in cutting-edge cinematic style. Full Review

Robert Abele
November 7, 2008
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

An undeniably shattering story, if forgivably shaky in its impassioned, therapeutic unfolding. Full Review

David Edelstein
November 3, 2008
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

Dear Zachary earns its right to engage us on a primal level, but it comes on the heels of so many films that don't, movies that...prey on modern fears and inflate third-rate material to the plane of t... Full Review

Lou Lumenick
October 31, 2008
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

A four-handkerchief documentary if there ever was one. Full Review

Stephen Holden
October 31, 2008
Stephen Holden, New York Times

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.

Martin Tsai
October 29, 2008
Martin Tsai, Village Voice

A true-crime story so gripping, devastating, and ultimately unforgettable that it easily trumps any thriller Hollywood has to offer this year. Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum
October 29, 2008
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

The facts are so awful that Dear Zachary can be forgiven much of its antsiness -- as a memorial, as a condolence to Bagby's parents (who became activists for judicial reform in their late son's honor)... Full Review

Peter Debruge
March 5, 2008
Peter Debruge, Variety

What begins as a poignant tribute to filmmaker Kurt Kuenne's dead best friend snowballs into a gut-wrenching true-crime story. Full Review

Nick Rogers
September 25, 2010
Nick Rogers, Suite101.com

Know as little going in as possible. The film's tragedy predates Facebook and Twitter, but the rapid-fire way in which its memorials are edited and the scope of those offering them feels like social-n... Full Review

Marty Mapes
July 3, 2009
Marty Mapes, Movie Habit

A powerful home movie about real-world evil and good Full Review

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