A Different Man

Adam Schimberg's film is an intriguing deconstruction of beauty standards

Despite advancement in how society treats people who look differently, being handsome continues to be of value. This was the central premise explored in The Substance (2024) and is now also studied in A Different Man (2024).

A Different Man follows Edward (Sebastian Stan) a man with a tumorous face who falls in love with his pretty New York neighbor Ingrid (Renate Reinsve). After undergoing a facial reconstruction procedure, an unrecognizable Edward takes on a different identity and life as a real estate agent. Only when a theater production about his pre-surgery life comes to the fore does Edward begin to face his approach to his old life and become fixated on the actor portraying him (Adam Pearson).

A Different Man is writer-director Adam Schimberg’s third film, and a spiritual follow up to his brilliant Chained for Life (2018). In that film, Schimberg not only employed Pearson as one of his leads, but also set it in a film set, exploring the ethics of telling stories of people with uncommon appearances. In both Chained for Life and A Different Man, Schimberg illustrates that people with unusual appearances don’t necessarily lead a miserable life, but (surprise!) are normal people. Chained for Life fused this duality in its narrative, surprising viewers who weren’t sure when a scene from the fictional movie ended and the performers just chatting began. A Different Man takes a different approach, splitting these two blocks in its narrative.

The first half of A Different Man is Schimberg’s view of what the Hollywood version of this film would be; a self-pitying Edward is shy and laughed at, getting his hopes up when one day a beautiful girl treats him with kindness. When the facial operation occurs, A Different Man shifts into an introspective mode, deconstructing its own narrative. No clear answers are given, with viewers constantly debating the ethics of how a story should be told, asked to judge the want of a fairytale resolution, and settle what is “right” when telling stories of beauty standards.

A Different Man works on a further level by having Marvel superhero actor Stan play Edward under make-up before his transformation, while also employing Pearson who has the real-life facial condition. Schimberg uses the casting to contrast the expectations of this type of story. Viewers initially buy-in to the pity that Stan’s performance demands, yet we are then shamed when given the contrast with Pearson, who only requires a good time and wit from others. It is a brilliant ploy to guilt viewers for having bought the initial two-dimensional character of Edward in the first place.

A Different Man is carried by its stupendous trio of leads. Stan, with his best performance to date, perfectly threads the physical transformation and duping required for viewers, Reinsve expertly embodies the initial manic pixie dream girl, who turns into an autonomous author. Pearson, in only his third film appearance, commands every scene he’s in. The Brit’s charm and charisma exude from the screen and demand he be given more platforms to showcase his skill.

A Different Man suffers from its structure, however. Splitting the story into an initial farcical half and a second academic one leaves it disjointed and losing a grip on character and narrative journeys. The finale is especially messy, with Schimberg pushing the credibility and introspection off kilter.

Nevertheless, A Different Man is a fascinating and deeply though-provoking film on how we tell stories, what we expect from them, and how we value beauty. Despite a disjointed structure, strong performances from Stan, Reinsve, and Pearson along with Schimberg’s fabulous play on duality, makes this a truly unique and pensive watch.

7.9/10