There isn’t a neat category that A Different Man can be lumped into. It could be called a psychodrama, or perhaps a drama/satire but I prefer to describe it as a twisted little joke of a movie – and I do mean that in the nicest possible way. Aaron Schimberg, both Charlie Kaufman and Franz Kafka-esque writer/director ultimately brings us into an acerbic, darkly humorous, and utterly merciless exploration of our idolization of physical beauty; the boundary between representation and exploitation; and the insanity that envy can breed all featuring some knock-the breath-out-of-you acting from Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson.
However, the biggest problem with A Different Man is how slowly it takes for this to happen. Despite being slow going at times, however, Stan’s performance is fascinating. This starts right from his detailed prosthetics which make his face unrecognizable to his body language as Edward walks around with slumped shoulders bearing the burden of his ailment.
Stan does not wear prosthetics for the entire film though because he goes through a successful experimental treatment where bulging tumors are removed from his face. The practical effects here are outstanding as we see Edward physically shed his skin to reveal Sebastian Stan’s good looks. However when Edward takes up new life altogether A Different Man comes alive through Oswald’s first appearance.
Oswald has neurofibromatosis just like Edward used to have along with facial malformations – but he also possesses charm, poise, and limitless talents that would preoccupy Edward himself in envy laced with cruel irony. Pearson underplays Oswald in absolutely perfect fashion getting some big laughs in the film as he drifts through life apparently completely unaffected by his condition, Ed’s occasional rudeness, or anything else for that matter.
Oswald too has endless appeal managing to wrap everyone around him with her finger – but there’s something more profound about Pearson’s portrayal as well. He’s so good and seemingly unaware of the way Ed fumes at him that there is almost something smarmy about it, even if we only see this through Ed’s eyes. As their one-sided rivalry grows increasingly dark, Stan and Pearson feed off each other, driven by a production about Edward’s previous life authored by Ingrid (Renate Reinsve), who is one of the few bright spots.
Reinsve too has some of the darkest humor as her character introduces some of the most ethically ambiguous aspects surrounding art, fetishism, and exploitation in the entire movie. Schimberg’s script works in mysterious ways which leads to an unbelievable yet highly captivating final act that doesn’t necessarily wrap up all its questions – but that’s part of its beauty.
A Different Man is not interested in tidying everything up nicely or telling us what to think about the strange occurrences that eventually unfold. However, thanks to a sharp script and Stan’s gloomy performance, we will not know if Edward should be pitied or feared by the final moments, whether he could have ever changed enough to become “a different man” – and this is the entire point.
Final Statement
It takes its time getting there, but A Different Man finally evolves into a merciless exploration of masks (both literal and figurative) and nature versus nurture. Aaron Schimberg’s subversive screenplay gets a boost from outstanding performances by Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson, who are mesmerizing as they engage in one-sided competition. At times tragic, frequently shocking, and darkly comic throughout; A Different Man poses countless inquiries without apologizing for those it does not answer completely.
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