Kisses 2008

Dylan is kicked out of the house

Dylan is sent out by his father to go play, starting the day with tension and fear. The act signals the beginning of a rift between him and his family, and hints at the chaotic journey to come. He steps out into the unknown with a mix of defiance and anxiety.

Dylan talks with Kylie about his father and his brother

Dylan confides in his neighbor Kylie about what he calls his prick of a father and about his brother who ran away two years earlier. They exchange uneasy insights on fear and control, establishing a shared sense of vulnerability. The conversation foreshadows the lengths they may go to seek escape.

Kylie explains the Sack Man

Kylie tells Dylan about the Sack Man, a story used by adults to scare kids into behaving. Dylan remains skeptical, seeing it as a myth rather than a real danger. The tale adds a chilling lens to their day.

Kylie hides with cash as her uncle says goodbye

Kylie is sent to walk her infant sibling in a stroller. Upon her return, a motorcycle sits in the driveway and her mother pressures her to kiss her uncle goodbye. Kylie hides under her bed, where she keeps cash tucked in a shoe, bracing for what might follow.

Dylan's father confronts the family

Dylan's father screams at Dylan's mother and punches her, erupting in violence. In a moment of reckless defiance, Dylan slams his handheld video game into his father's face, leaving a plastic shard embedded in his forehead. The clash marks the height of the household's chaos.

Escape through the upstairs bathroom

Dylan is chased by his father into an upstairs bathroom. Kylie arrives in time to help, maneuvering a ladder from Dylan's yard that enables Dylan to escape through a window. The escape sequence deepens their fledgling partnership and resolve.

Journey to the river and meeting the captain

The pair flee to a nearby river where a dredger passes. They climb aboard and ride to the end of the line near Dublin, where the captain mentions Bob Dylan as Dylan's namesake. The ride becomes a brief, hopeful detour from their troubles.

Searching Gardiner Street for Dylan's brother

They decide to find Dylan's brother, who was said to be living in a squat on Gardiner Street. They knock on doors and ask passers-by, learning from a woman that he was kicked out for fighting six months earlier. The quest underscores their uncertainty about home and family.

Dylan resists going home; Kylie pushes on

Dylan argues that they should return home, but Kylie resists and runs off, showing their growing determination to press onward despite danger. They press through streets and alleyways, fueling their independence. The tension between returning and staying on the run intensifies.

Reunion and the truth of abuse emerges

Dylan and Kylie are reunited when Dylan sees Kylie sprinting into an alley, pursued by a worker who had stolen food. Kylie then reveals that her uncle sexually assaulted her and forced her silence by proving that no one would believe her. The confession adds a heavy, personal threat to their perilous journey.

A night on the streets and a kidnapping attempt

They find boxes to sleep on for shelter for the night. A man drives by and tries to convince Kylie to ride with him; she refuses, and the car drives away—only to return later and kidnap her. The danger tightens around them, turning their sleep into a temporary vigil.

Car chase and a kiss after escape

Dylan chases the car, grabbing its bumper as his Heelys let him roll along beside it. The assailants try to shed him, but Kylie breaks free of the car and they both manage to lose their pursuers. After surviving the ordeal, they share a spontaneous kiss that marks a bond formed under pressure.

Morning on the street and a grim discovery

In the morning, Kylie wakes to a cold hand beside her. They discover a recently dead man nearby, a shocking development that punctuates the precarity of their situation and foreshadows further trouble ahead. The find compounds their fear and confusion.