Friday, July 31, 2015

FINDERS KEEPERS

Image result for shannon whisnant john wood

Two men fight over a leg, one had it removed and kept it in a barbecue stove in a storage unit and the other believes he bought it along with the barbecue stove when the storage unit contents were sold. John Wood lost his leg in the plane crash that killed his father and decided to keep the leg intending to use the skeletal remains to make some sort of memorial to his father.  Shannon Wishant found the leg when he opened up the barbecue and discovered it inside.

What ensues is grist for the media mill as both men claim ownership, John to retrieve it and Shannon to use the discovery to deliver the fame in front of the camera that he has always dreamed of.  Shannon tries to turn the finding into a tourist attraction even without the actual leg but is destined to fail.  

Following the story from 2007 to the present day the documentary is about so much more than the leg.  Through their dispute we see John fighting addiction and the guilt he feels over his father's death, and Shannon striving to achieve his dream of "being on TV every day and making people laugh".   Directed by Bryan Carberry and Clay Tweel this documentary is a five star film, weaving the complex relationships and stories brilliantly into a riveting, moving tale. 

Neither side of the story is black and white, neither man is entirely good nor entirely bad. The repercussions in each man's relationships with those around them are woven into the fabric of the film seamlessly and everyone who appears has an interesting tale to tell.

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