10 More Disturbing Plot Twists In Non-Horror Movies
2. Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father - What Really Happened
Yes, this one is a documentary, but to hell with it, as Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About his Father absolutely earns its spot here.
Dear Zachary is directed by Kurt Kuenne, whose close friend Andrew Bagby was murdered by his ex-girlfriend. After she fled to Canada, it turned out that she was pregnant with Andrew's child, named Zachary. Kuenne then set about creating a cinematic scrapbook for Zachary, a way of knowing the father he'd never meet. Dear Zachary is a masterpiece of editing, and the first hour is presented as a letter to Zachary. Documentaries are supposed to be truthful, and no-one unaware of the real case will see the film's big twist coming.
While on bail, Andrew's killer was allowed to take custody of Zachary, and when he was just 13 months old, she killed him in a murder-suicide. This reveal is arguably one of the most traumatically upsetting twists in all of film, especially since it actually happened. And, as the documentary explains, it was a completely avoidable death, too.
The film's consummate editing and heart-breaking exploration of grief make it all the more harrowing, although it is counter-balanced with some positivity. The closing section of Dear Zachary explores the successful efforts of Zachary's grandparents to change Canadian bail laws, pays loving tribute to them, and even represents Kuenne himself coming to terms with his double-bereavement. This sense of hope in the face of horrendous tragedy is perhaps the key thing that will leave viewers weeping.