“Same Kind of Different As Me” Takes Different Approach To Christian Themes
The movie Same Kind of Different as Me opened in theaters on October 20. The cinema is based on actual events which happened to Ron Hall (played by Greg Kinnear), Denver Moore (played by Djimon Hounsou), and Deborah Hall (played by Renee Zellweger). The camera follows Hall, who is an art dealer by profession, and the journey of his friendship with Moore. The latter is a homeless person scarred by a traumatic past but also has an unwavering faith. The unlikely pairing is helped by Deborah, Hall’s wife. It is the latter’s spiritual dream which guides the couple towards their local homeless ministry.
Star Studded Cast for Popular Christian Movie [/tweetthis]
Jon Voight also plays a significant role in the film. He portrayed the character of Earl Hall, Ron Hall’s alcohol prone, politically incorrect father. The role provides a comedic splash to the movie. The premiere of the film saw Voight telling the press anecdotes from his own life about befriending and subsequently assisting a homeless man living in New York City. He said to the assembled reporters that helping someone can never be in vain.
The film is directed by Michael Carney. Same Kind of Different as Me is his directorial debut.
Ron Hall is an art dealer in Texas. His take on life is radically changed by Debbie, his wife. She urges her husband to serve others. They meet Denver, a homeless man at a local soup kitchen. The latter changes both their lives. The couple also changes his.
The film is derived from a bestselling book written by Ron Hall and co-authored by Denver Moore. The structure of the film is made up of multiple flashbacks. Denver’s upbringing as a sharecropper in the South during Jim Crow era time as cotton picker does not match with the film’s timeline which is assumed to be the same in the non-cinematic world. Their performances are more or less spot on, with the viewer getting more and more engaged with them as the film goes on.
Hounsou’s Denver character comes at first as a caricature, spewing folksy wisdom in an easily noticeable country accent. Then the actor’s innate talent comes into play, making the character a memorable one. He plays a man who had nothing and went through the worst experiences humans can bring. He teaches the privileged white people some hard truths about gratitude and grace.