The Same Kind of Different as Me 2017

     This film is based on a true story and also based on a book by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.  Ron and Debbie Hall are a married couple with a teen son and daughter.  Somehow they have drifted apart and Ron has been having an affair.  Debbie tells him they need to fix what is happening with their marriage.  She calls Ron’s girlfriend and tells her that Ron won’t be seeing or caller her again.  They do work on their marriage and Debbie tells him said had a dream about a man who is homeless.  She has been working at a food kitchen for the homeless and she gets Ron to join her in the work.  They start helping Denver Moore and he’s the man in her dream.  He has had a difficult life since his grandmother died years ago.  They change Denver’s life but they also change their own lives.

      This is an interesting film and tells a different kind of story about how to change your own life, your marriage and the lives of others.  It’s about putting yourself second and others first.  It’s a journey that many aren’t able or ready to take.  Some people looking at this work from a distance think it’s too dangerous.  It is possible for it to be dangerous?  The life of anyone can change quickly.  A job is lost, an illness is discovered, a death in the family and many other circumstances.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

119 min, Drama directed by Michael Carney with Greg Kinnear, Renee Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou, Jon Voight, Olivia Holt, Austin Filson, Geraldine Singer, Daniel Zacapa, Dana Gourrier, Thomas Frances Murphy, Ann Mahoney, Theodus Crane, David Dino Wells Jr., Pedro Lucero.

Note:  Imdb 6.4 of 10, 33% critic 88% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 2*, Amazon Video 4.6 of 5 with 133 reviews, Plugged In 4* of 5*, Metacritic 47 out of 100 with 7 critics 6.6 of 10 with 11 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Jackson and Canton, Mississippi.  There was a sequel published for the book and also a children’s adaptation.  Ron Hall and Denver Moore have traveled the United States raising money to help the homeless.  This film was originally scheduled to be Renee Zellweger’s first film after six years away from acting.  Bridget Jones’ Baby of 2016 became her first film appearance and the release of this film was pushed to February 2017.  It was 17 years ago that Zellweger and Kinnear starred in Nurse Betty of 2000.