What if everyone stopped looking at me as a freak? That question motivates every movement of Edward, played by Sebastian Stan in A Different Man. The film follows Edward, an aspiring actor who undergoes a medical procedure to transform his appearance. However, his new face turns into a nightmare as he attempts to reclaim what is lost. Aaron Schimberg wrote and directed the film, which stars Adam Pearson and Renate Reinsve alongside Stan. The dark psychological thriller takes us down the troubled path of one man’s fight to seek perfection.
A Different Man Review
Writer and director Aaron Schimberg delicately yet fiercely paints the picture of how messy reality is regarding those with disabilities. He doesn’t shy away from exposing the gory details of what people with disabilities face on a day-to-day basis while highlighting how the words spewed at them have power. Edward is faced with attempting to become a movie star, but unlike those around him, he has neurofibromatosis and, as a result, has seen very few opportunities. Consistently looked at as a laughing stock or even completely ignored, Edward attempts to undergo a major medical procedure in his attempt to be “normal.”
This new normal sees Edward feel like everything he ever wanted from life. Changing his name to Guy, he sees himself getting drinks at a bar and even hooking up with a girl in the bathroom. Oddly enough, he got what he wanted but couldn’t adapt to the comfort of his own skin. Schimberg introduces Ingrid, a playwright looking for someone to star in her play. Earlier in the movie, Ingrid met with Edward, who was the inspiration for her play. Although it didn’t make sense how Guy got the mask that replicated Edward’s face, she cast Guy nonetheless.
From here, Schimberg sparks the conversation around representation. Ingrid realizes she wants to cast someone who has the same facial disorders that she wrote the play, leading to Oswald coming in and stealing the role from Guy.
I walked into A Different Man completely blind, not knowing anything about the story or even seeing the trailer, and it made the experience that much better. Schimberg challenged viewers visually and emotionally to look within. The perfect type of movie is one that you watch and walk away with a better understanding of what kind of person you want to be, and Schimberg captures that essence brilliantly. It’s one of the first films of 2024 that I sat in my chair post-screening, pondering my existence.
The world knows Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, but over the last few years, he has somewhat distanced himself from that to showcase his ability to act. First, it was in 2022 with his cannibalistic turn in the Hulu film Fresh. Then, he knocked it out of the ballpark as Tommy Lee, leading to an Emmy nomination in Pam & Tommy. Two vastly different performances, but Stan showcases a side of himself we had yet to see on the big screen in A Different Man.
Schimberg sets Stan up for success with the writing of Edward/Guy, but without the execution by him, it wouldn’t matter how good the writing is. Stan fully immerses himself into the duality of this role, all for the better. It’s the most raw, personal, and vulnerable that we’ve seen Stan ever. He gives an award-caliber performance as he plays two sides of one man, each jockeying for control.
I urge audiences to be patient with Schimberg’s film. My only hiccup in giving this a perfect score is the pacing. Things take a little time to get going, but when it does, it sets off and never looks back. That said, when writing these reviews, I attempt to pinpoint things that the general audience might not like, and the slow pacing is one of those things that, if you aren’t watching it on the big screen (please do if you can), you might check out. If you trust me, trust the patients because it’s well worth it.
Is A Different Man Worth Watching?
A Different Man is a thought-provoking masterclass of storytelling that features an Oscar-worthy turn from Sebastian Stan. A24 has a gem of a film here that I hope doesn’t get overshadowed by their upcoming loaded slate during awards season. It belongs in the Best Screenplay, Actor, Supporting Actor, Hair/Makeup, and Cinematography conversation. These independent movies are essential to support on the big screen, and I urge you to check out opening weekend.
A Different Man hits theaters on September 20, 2024.
A Different Man Review – Sebastian Stan is Extraordinary in this Surreal Dark Comedy
Sebastian Stan delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as A Different Man is an eye-opening psychological thriller that will make you laugh while shattering you in two.
