If I had to choose my favorite scene from Different Kinds, I would probably have to choose the scene we've been referring to as "The Argument." It takes place roughly 24 hours after Natalie has been taken hostage by Jared; they've stopped for the night in a small motel room just inside the Colorado state line. Natalie sits on the bed, handcuffed to the headboard, flipping channels on the television while Jared stands against the wall, watching her. He appears to have discovered a whole new meaning of feeling uncomfortable in a situation that is already more uncomfortable than he would have thought possible; he's both troubled and perplexed by her sudden shift in mood from determined resilience to barely contained fury.

The scene never fails to break my heart a little whenever I get the chance to sit down and watch it. The words, the emotion, the anger and hurt they unleash on each other has been building since the moment they met up in the parking lot, since Jared forced her into her own car and took her against her will on his race towards what he ultimately sees as the fight to save nothing less than his own soul. Jackie Billotte and Chris Borden deliver amazing performances throughout the film, but I think this scene is a turning point for both of their characters. As the uneasy truce they’ve adopted in an attempt to survive the nightmare they’re in begins to shatter, the lines naturally drawn between their defined characters begin to shift and mold. The more they lose their composure, the more their scars begin to show; so much more than just aggressor and victim, than good and bad, these are complex creatures who are beautiful because of their inherent flaws.

I’m often asked about my reasons for choosing to title the film Different Kinds. The most common question is phrased something like this: “so what is it, a movie about different kinds of people?” (This is always asked by someone who hasn’t seen either the script or the film, and said in a tone that suggests that perhaps I’m not as clever as I thought I was.) In a literal sense I suppose that yes, this film is about different kinds of people, but I would like to think it’s about much more than that.

This is a story about the moments that define us. About the differences between how we see ourselves, how the world sees us, and what we really are. It’s about figuring out whether our ideals and morals are what define us and shape who we are, or if all that matters is what we actually say and do. It’s not always easy to define; the choices that we make in different situations can take us down paths we never intended. There are some situations where one might not know how they would react until they are actually in it, and I think some of us might be horrified to discover what we have the ability to do, what we’re capable of.

It’s about tracing your life back to the moment everything went wrong and whether or not that knowledge alone is enough to save you… or if you’re damned no matter what you do. Because if we are, in fact, defined not by our intentions, but by our actions, it may not be possible to hide those unsavory aspects of ourselves with the other skeletons in our closet.

It’s a story about greed, power, and survival. But, in the end, I think it all comes back to Jared and Natalie, and the different kinds of distances they travel in their short time together. In some ways, it might even be considered a love story, although certainly an unconventional slightly twisted one at that. It’s about falling in love with romanticized ideals… not only of the other person, of the situation, but of ourselves.

This production has had its shares of ups and downs, good times and bad. It is the culmination of the allegorical blood, sweat and tears of a group of vastly different people coming together for one purpose; to make the best film they can. I was so fortunate to have such a great cast and crew to help me bring this film to life, and it's something I will forever be grateful for.

Eileen Agosta
Writer & Director, Different Kinds