Sebastian Stan undergoes a radical medical procedure to make his face look like ... well, Sebastian Stan's, in "A Different Man." But he finds that changing how he looks on the outside doesn't necessarily change how he feels on the inside.
This premise may remind you of "Seconds," the 1966 John Frankenheimer thriller starring Rock Hudson in a performance he hoped would establish him as a serious actor. It didn't—not at the time, at least. (But you can, and should, check it out on The Criterion Channel or Kanopy.) Stan has long had the luxury of taking such risks, of balancing his duties as the Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with more complicated fare like "A Different Man," "Fresh" and "I, Tonya." He seems to revel in these weirder roles, as if abandoning his handsomeness is freeing; he also serves as a producer on the film.
For much of the time in writer-director Aaron Schimberg's dark comedy, Stan is buried beneath layers of prosthetics to play a man with a severely disfigured face. According to the press notes, Stan walked the streets of New York in this detailed, convincing makeup, even stopping into his usual coffee spot, to get a feel for how his character, Edward, would move through the world.
Part of what's refreshing about "A Different Man," though, is that it never condescends to Edward—never treats him as magical or noble, the way many films do in depicting characters with disabilities. Edward is meek and schlubby. He's an aspiring actor, but he's not very good; early scenes of him in the rare gig he's booked are hilariously terrible. And the desire to undergo this experimental transformation stems entirely from his misguided ambition.
The intimate and understated way Schimberg tells Edward's story matches the character's demeanor. Shot in Super 16mm by cinematographer Wyatt Garfield, "A Different Man" has the color and texture of a ‘70s New York indie, and the sly, absurdist humor of Woody Allen films from that era. This is especially true once Renate Reinsve enters the picture as Edward's bubbly next-door neighbor, Ingrid, a playwright who's just moved there from Norway with dreams of making it big.
Reinsve, the breakout star of the 2021 drama "The Worst Person in the World," once again plays a fascinatingly flawed, somewhat selfish character: a woman who can be charming but also, at times, the worst. Reinsve's ridiculous charisma keeps us watching, even when—or perhaps because—we suspect we can't entirely trust her. Edward and Ingrid fall into an unlikely friendship with just the hint of potential for more. There's humor and tension as the power dynamic between them evolves, with each needing something from the other at various points in their relationship.
Once Edward sheds his deformed, gooey visage, he reinvents himself as an entirely different person: a real estate agent named Guy. ("A Different Man" would make an excellent double feature with the other body horror movie of the week, Coralie Fargeat's deliriously gonzo "The Substance.") But despite his newfound attractiveness, his insecurity continues to plague him. Stan creates an authentic sense of continuity here, carrying himself with the same hunched demeanor and halting speech as before. A dive bar bathroom hookup is particularly awkward. And when a beguiling stranger shows up, his identity gets thrown into even greater turmoil.
Adam Pearson co-stars as Oswald, a British gentleman who happens to share the exact same facial disfigurement Edward once had. You may recall Pearson from his striking supporting performance in Jonathan Glazer's "Under the Skin" or Schimberg's previous film, 2018's "Chained for Life." His condition is called neurofibromatosis, but Oswald is so radiantly confident he immediately dazzles everyone he meets. He's a rakish ladies' man with a quick wit and an inquisitive approach to life. He is, in short, everything Edward has never been—which sends Edward into even more of a desperate tizzy. Composer Umberto Smerilli's rich score beautifully reflects his tormented state, with just the slightest wink.
