Dear Zachary: A Letter to A Son About His Father: Review By Bryan Yentz

What can I say? What can I truly put into words how this film made feel? That I was moved? No, no… That’s not good enough… Not good enough at all… I was moved, but what I really felt struck so much deeper… Once this film was over, I just had to get up, leave my apartment and go for a walk outside. Out of all of the films I have seen, none have them have ever come close to affecting me in this way. None of them have caused my emotions to cover such a gamut; none of them have ever lingered in my mind for so long… Never…

I hadn’t heard of this film before, but became interested when I saw it for rent at a local video store. I shied away from it, but after looking up some extremely positive reviews for it, I decided to give it a shot. I had no idea what it was about other than the fact that it was a doc*mentary revolving around a family, a murder, and the failing of the justice system. That’s it. I had no idea of the unbelievable true story, which was about to dramatically unfold before me. And because of that, I’m not going to shed any more light on what this wonderful doc*mentary is about. I want anyone that watches this to go in as blind and naïve as I was, I want people to be just as shocked and taken aback as I was---and still am. So, please---if you’re influenced enough to watch this film, don’t do any research on it---just watch it. I know many might have already heard about the happenings described in this doc, but it’s the overall presentation, which makes it so utterly captivating. Put it this way…

While I typically draw, or write while watching a movie, I happened to be cleaning during this one. Well, after about two minutes of this film being on, I just had to stop what I was doing and give my full, undivided attention to it. As I continued to watch, the point of the doc*mentary was revealed and I was absolutely blown away; so much in fact that I had to get up, run over to my friend and urge him to watch with me (bear in mind, I watched this without any knowledge of what it was about). Following this, we both became all the more captivated and thrown through an unflinching maelstrom of emotions.

I simply have not felt this way before about any movie. To feel such sadness, anger, terror, joy, hope, determination… Sure, you can say that many dramas make you sad; many comedies make you laugh; many horror films make you feel scared; and so on… But when you think about it---when you actually dig down deep, there’s a sense of closure knowing that what you just saw wasn’t real---it was just a movie. The same can’t be said for Dear Zachary---it’s a doc*mentary; it’s a detailed message about a series of events. And because of that, there’s a major validity to the emotions felt while watching. They’re not just tossed aside once the credits hit like oh-so many movies---they stay in your mind, prey at your conscience and fester like a mold. My mind was so bogged down by sadness and questions; my friend’s to the point that he couldn’t sleep. But this is what a film of this nature should do. You should feel this way sometimes, your mind should be conflicted by a strenuous strand of emotions as you try to grasp it all. That is the power of this film: to be able to emotionally break its viewers and rebuild them all in the same sitting. I’m not going to lie, numerous points of this doc had me so heartbroken that I left with a tear-stained face and an emotionally drained body.

And through it all… Throughout all of the strife, turmoil and malice, the viewer is able to come out much like the people doc*mented within the film: hopeful and strengthened because of what they’ve been through.

I know many will walk away feeling differently, but I can tell you now---beyond a shadow of a doubt, this is the most powerful, most unforgettable film I have ever witnessed---and I know many say that, but for me---out of the honest thousands I have seen---I am being completely truthful. Roger Ebert referred to the “Up” series as an inspired, almost noble use of the film medium. Well, after watching Dear Zachary, I believe that there is now another film deserving of that statement.