InCinemas SG

Opening Date

10 Oct 2024

Rating

M18 Sexual Scenes

性相关画面

Runtime

112 mins

Language

English with no subtitles

Genre

Black Comedy, Thriller

Director

Aaron Schimberg

Cast

Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson, C. Mason Wells, Owen Kline, Charlie Korsmo, Belcher Patrick Wang, Michael Shannon

Synopsis

Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.

Reviews

By InCinemas 10 Oct 2024

A brilliantly witty film about self-identity and how one’s confidence can shape their lives.

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"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." "Beauty is only skin-deep." "Beauty is as beauty does." "Beauty is what you make it." In writer-director Aaron Schimberg’s latest film starring Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, and Adam Pearson, he explores the depths of these phrases with a bold approach.

A Different Man follows Edward Lemuel (Stan), a struggling actor with neurofibromatosis that manifests as a disfiguring facial condition. We see him befriend his aspiring playwright neighbor Ingrid (Reinsve), who is a huge contrast in energy to his shy and feebly self. It’s obvious Edward lacks confidence due to his disfigurement but that’s just because of the way our brains are hardwired to view asymmetry adversely.

Schimberg doubles down on this notion by showing us how eager Edward is to take up the opportunity to undergo an experimental treatment that could cure his condition despite its high risk. Edward is no more when the treatment proves successful and out emerges a beautifully sculpted ~~Sebastian Stan~~ man, assuming a new idenity as Guy Moratz.

With his new “life”, Guy has a successful career as a real estate agent. One day, he discovers Ingrid is producing Edward – a play she has written based on his life. He flops an audition but is eventually given the lead role when he comes back again, this time wearing a mold of his old face that was presented to him during his treatment. Guy and Ingrid get together.

During rehearsals they are visited by Oswald (Pearson), a man with neurofibromatosis, who has taken an interest in their play. Oswald is instantly magnetic with his charismatic demeanour, which steals Ingrid’s attention away from Guy.

Guy now reverting back to his Edward self, loses confidence once more and is replaced with Oswald in the play when he fails to memorise his lines. Edward/Guy’s mental state deteriorates, causing him to lose his job and physically attack Oswald out of jealousy.

What sets Edward and Oswald apart is how each man carries themselves in life. They both share the same condition but rather than letting it defy him negatively the way Edward did, Oswald embraces his difference. Edward could have the face of a beautiful man but what’s all that good for if his personality stays the same?

Its hard to ignore the core message of A Different Man when it is laid out so bare for viewers to see. What made it enjoyable is Schimberg’s no-nonsense approach towards the matter at hand, paired with the committed performance of one Sebastian Stan. Undeniably one of Hollywood’s hottest men, he’s done an incredible job at making himself undesirable with his nuanced performance as Edward. He’s made it so you don’t so much pity him for how he looks but rather how he fails to love and embody himself with certainty.

Also worthy of praise without question is Pearson’s take on Oswald who bursts through the screen with much energy. His charisma oozes so naturally it’s almost hard to tell if he’s playing himself or his character and if that isn’t a huge testament to the actor’s craft, we don’t know what is.

A Different Man is a brilliantly witty film about self-identity and how one’s confidence can shape their lives. Its profound messaging will leave you with much to talk about after.
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A Different Man