Following the murder of his good friend Andrew, Kurt Kuenne sets foot on a journey to interview those whose lives Andrew left a mark on while alive. He did so in hopes that despite his absence, Andrew would live on in the heart and mind of his child Zachary. In Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, Kurt Kuenne documents life with Andrew growing up, and life in his absence. Kuenne captures the battles Andrew’s parents face as they develop a relationship with their son’s murderer and mother of his child Shirley, in efforts to be a part of their grandchild’s life.
I am someone who loves true crime. Where I find the genre falls short is not focusing on the lives of victims and who they were prior to their death. Often times, violent murderers are romanticized in documentaries and docuseries. In turn, viewers frequently sympathize with them. Kurt Keunne did the complete opposite here, and surpassed the expectations I had by centering the contents of this movie on the person whose life was taken.
I think this film resonated so well with me, and will accomplish the same with any other viewer because it was so personal. It had depth. Through accounts of those who knew him best, I felt like I knew Andrew too, and I was drawn in from beginning until end. The film will make you think. A lot of people are not oblivious to flaws in the criminal justice system. However, I found that I did not know, or think much about faults in family court prior to watching. It was eye-opening, attention-grabbing, and may be one of the best documentaries I’ve watched. I tried to think of documentaries to compare this movie to, and I can’t come up with anything because it seems the filmmaker put a lot of time and care into crafting it. So, if you are a fan of true crime, looking to get into it, or simply struggling with finding something good or impactful to watch, I highly recommend this film. It can be found on YouTube for free. If you choose to watch (which I hope you do), don’t look up any major contents of the story, or outcome of the case. There are few movies that have evoked a physical reaction from me and the end made my jaw drop. I hope it resonates with you as much as it did with me.