YMMV / Dear Zachary

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• It Was His Sled: The activist movement against the Canadian justice system led by Kate and David Bagby was so publicized (and eventually succeeded in law reformation) that many will know going in that Zachary is murdered by his own mother. Additionally, the documentary's "twist" is so discussed that even those unaware of the legal proceedings generally are told ahead of time how the documentary ends.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • After The Reveal that Shirley Turner killed both herself and Zachary the shot lingers on Zachary's death certificate before a red filter suddenly slams down over everything and there's a horrible noise like a long, tortured scream. Makes a heartbreaking twist all the more jarring and nightmarish.
  • And in the montage immediately following that moment, we're treated to a series of pictures of Shirley and Zachary together, all with that same red filter over everything, all while we hear recordings of Turner telling her son that she loves him.
  • While describing Shirley's history, the documentary plays the narration over clips of an old film Andrew and Kurt made together, in which Andrew's character, frightened, turns to someone approaching him. It ends with Andrew shouting and a gun firing. It's a haunting reenactment of what Andrew's final moments were probably like.
• Tear Jerker: The entire premise of the film is that a beloved man is brutally murdered by his obsessive ex, and the child he fathered with said ex is kept away from the man's grieving but loving family by miscarriages of justice. In-between the gutting details of the murder are tearful stories from friends and family, all directed to the man's son. The saddening film becomes absolutely gutwrenching when that same son is murdered by the very same person who killed his father.
• The Woobie: Kate and David Bagby. After losing their beloved only son to a coldblooded murder, they learn that their son's killer is pregnant with his child. Despite all their efforts, they cannot achieve full custody of their grandson, and are only able to spend time with him by playing house with their son's killer. The custody battle only occurs because the court system allowed their son's killer to walk away practically Scot-free, robbing Kate and David of any justice or closure. Then, horrifyingly, their grandson is killed by the same woman who killed their son. Friends of the Bagbys marvel at the strength they have shown to keep going despite such tragedy.

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