Same Kind of Different as Me

They really had all the pieces in place to turn this into a blockbuster tear-jerker film. The story is inspiring, the cast of Greg Kinnear, Renée Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou, and even Jon Voight were all in place, and the story it is based upon is actually something that happened.

Yet, somehow, this movie is just awful and I am not sure why that is.

[source](https://occ-0-1068-92.1.nflxso.net/dnm/api/v6/0DW6CdE4gYtYx8iy3aj8gs9WtXE/AAAABccn4fmRVKg8uPXC6BoBnv66gR5qPICSMhEVfFUSocJxfJ5iIoTjvRreWjTHDyDx_oSXdsiTnEXTkZ3uCYr3PSFByEQPrvXzZQ.jpg?r=42e)

Without revealing too much of the plot let's just say that a very rich family headed by Ron and Debbie Hall (played by Kinnear and Zellweger and are also portraying real people) in a roundabout way decide to become patrons of a homeless shelter in a very different part of town that they live in. The become actively involved in trying to help out their homeless community in Texas.

[source](https://images.ctfassets.net/7h71s48744nc/grrZc12RWwOQS08EgKIA0/7450b9321590e88bf9084f380918433d/Same_Kind_of_Different_as_Me__Large.jpg.jpeg)

While volunteering there they are kind and helping towards everyone and this invokes several touching moments but Ron and Debbie are drawn to a particularly troubled member of the homeless community that is known by most as "Suicide" but they later fine out is named Denver (played by Djimon Hounsou - one of my favorite actors.) Their attempts at befriending him are initially met with aggression but eventually they break through and become friends.

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What happens next is something that I can only describe as something that was meant to be touching and meaningful but unfortunately, either due to poor screen-writing or direction, becomes a convoluted mess that honestly, simply takes too long to get anywhere. Also, despite the fact that I really really like him as an actor, Hounsou just seems really static and boring in his portrayal of Denver but to be fair everyone else's character is really boring also.

Even once Jon Voight is introduced as a drunken, racist, patriarch... which I had thought might move the story a bit, is introduced, the movie just has this horribly slow and boring pace that just leaves us asking throughout the 2 hours that this movie is on... "where is this going and can we get on with it already?"

With such a star-studded cast (which is what drew me in in the first place,) it is truly amazing to me that this movie ended up being as terrible as it was. I have to admit that there were certain segments of it that still (despite the boredom) managed to bring some water to my eyes, but this had a lot to do with musical choices rather than me actually being moved by the scenes that were taking place or me being engaged with the story at all.

_{From the official [Paramount Pictures](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9YHyj7QSkkSg2pjQ7M8Khg) channel}

While I totally agree that the overall message of this film is profound and is something I truly want to be adopted by everyone... the movie is just really really poor. I am not a film-maker so I don't know exactly where they effed up but I don't think it is in one place. It's just a mess across the board.

A lot of the problem exists perhaps in the extensive reliance on flashbacks to explain Denver's predicament in life and this is not done well. During all of these sequences a relatively monotone Djimon Hounsou explains scene after scene to a completely quiet Kinnear and Zellwegger. At the end of all of these sequences Hounsou emerges with tears in his eyes and each one of these incidences are meant to be tear-jerking but since there are so many of them in the film, we get desensitized and honestly, it gets to the point where you just want something to happen in the film.

And therein might lie the problem - while the real story is touching it might not be exciting enough to warrant a film in the first place.

The movie is based on real-life events and don't get me wrong, i am not trying to take away from that (it was a best-selling book also.) All I'm trying to say is that a production company is capable of getting a hold of a good story, a great cast, and a decent budget, and still make a horrible film.

This is that film

Same Kind of Different as Me barely made back its budget of $6.5 million and after marketing, likely lost money.

My overall rating

![skipitskipitgood.jpg](https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/gooddream/UvndxazR-skip-it-skip-it-good.jpg)

There has been a recent uptick in the number of "faith-based" movies being produced. Traditionally, faith-based movies were a recipe for disaster. They were low budget, poorly conceived films with a strong heart but poor execution. It seems that trend has started to change. With films like Risen and Hacksaw Ridge, the paradigm has shifted. Many of these films have Hollywood budgets, A-list actors and quality writing. Writing where the heart isn't ripped out in favor of mass appeal. Same Kind of Different as Me is one of those well executed films.

Ron Hall (Greg Kinnear) is an art dealer who has done very well. His judgment isn't necessarily a reflection of his success. Hall has a beautiful, loving wife (Deborah - Renee Zelweger), but manages to go astray. Deborah has a soft touch, but has a silent strength that allows her to meet his indiscretions head on. The episode draws the pair closer as Hall also begins to take a larger role in his wife's philanthropy. Deborah has had dreams that have called her to minister to the homeless. In particular, her efforts focus on a violent homeless man named Denver (Djimon Hounsou). As life runs its course, Ron is forced to deal with other issues in his life that have been simmering. His reflections on his past lead him toward fulfillment. It is a story of submission, redemption and faith.

Same Kind of Different as Me is based on the true story of the Hall family and their friendship with Denver Moore. The screenplay is based on the book that Hall and Moore co-authored. Director Michael Carney collaborated with Hall and Alexander Foard on the screenplay. Hall was not an author when he wrote his memoirs. So this film was written by a handful of novice writers. You wouldn't guess that from watching the film. The dialogue was crisp and often humorous. The film was told in flashbacks, but never felt choppy. The pacing was steady. The heartbeat was evident. The film never felt contrived or forced. It wasn't preachy or cloying. It was solid drama delivered deftly by an A-list cast.

Before anyone takes issue with me referring to this cast as "A-List" allow me to explain my thinking in using that term. There is no hard fast definition I can find. They are generally actors whose name alone will secure funding for a project. The name will get people into the theater. Zellweger is most recognizable. While no longer in her prime, Zellweger did win an Oscar and was nominated for two more. She has an impressive trophy collection. Jon Voight, who plays Hall's father, won an Oscar along with three other nominations. Hounsou has two Oscar nominations. Kinnear has one nomination. With four Oscar winners/nominees in the cast, I would consider that to be an A-list cast. Your opinion may differ. But what matters is the quality of their performances in this film. The performances were flawless. Riveting at times. It is impressive to see such quality casting for a faith-based film.

Same Kind of Different as Me deals with the issue of homelessness as an integrated part of its core. This involves some mild violence, language and delicate issues like prostitution. The MPAA settled on a PG-13 rating, which I can understand. But the contextual nature of those elements make sense to me. I would not be concerned with younger viewers seeing this film. The messages of faith, giving and humanity are a sharp counterbalance to the mild thematic elements.

With the volume of sheer garbage coming out of Hollywood, it is refreshing to see a heartwarming true story that has the polish and finesse of a big budget film. Stuart Heritage of the Guardian described this film as "the worst, most offensive thing I have seen." I find that hard to believe, even if it were offensive or bad. Which leads me to believe that Heritage is a pedantic self-righteous elitist. At least I know that I can't trust his reviews going forward. I read that before seeing this film, which gave me low expectations. I don't expect this film to break any box office records. It is a solid film that was well executed. And I left the theater feeling satisfied. It is worth catching at the matinee if it stays in theaters long enough for you to catch it. Otherwise, it is worth dropping in your queue when it hits streaming. 7.5/10.

Same Kind of Different as Me

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