[Movie Review] "A Different Man"

The problem of lookism confronted through the ironic fate of a man with a unique face

In our society, appearance is so highly valued that books like '90% of Life is Appearance' become bestsellers. Nevertheless, there is strong criticism of 'lookism,' which involves judging or discriminating against people solely based on their looks.

I myself am not much to look at. I suppose I fall into the category of what you'd call 'ugly.' Back when I was in a band, I auditioned for a vocal spot, and they told me, 'Your singing is good, but you don't have the face of a rock band vocalist. Why don't you try a comedy band?' I thought, 'I'm going to kill these guys!', but of course, I didn't actually do it (laughs).

The protagonist of the movie 'A Different Man' is a man with a unique face on a level far beyond that. It is an absurd thriller that depicts his ironic fate. The director is Aaron Schimberg, for whom this is his third feature film. He has reportedly worked on works themed around appearance and identity in the past.

Synopsis
Edward (Sebastian Stan), who aspires to be an actor despite having unique morphological features on his face, is attracted to his neighbor Ingrid (Renate Reinsve), an aspiring playwright, but is unable to confess his feelings due to his passive personality. One day, Edward undergoes an experimental treatment that dramatically changes his appearance and finally obtains the new face he has longed for. Having discarded his past and begun a new life as a different person, the gears of Edward's fate begin to go awry when Oswald (Adam Pearson), a man who looks exactly like his former self, appears...

Edward's appearance is quite unique. Passengers who see him on the subway are startled for a moment, then either glance at him repeatedly or pretend they didn't see anything at all.

The movie begins with a filming scene. Edward, an aspiring actor, is acting in an educational video for employees. It's a one-scene appearance about how to interact with people who have unique appearances.

Because of his appearance, he had a shy and passive personality. Even when he goes home, he is quiet. Even when he finds a leak in the ceiling, he doesn't strongly protest.

At that time, a woman named Ingrid who moved into the room next door comes to greet him. Even when she sees Edward's face, she doesn't seem particularly surprised and treats him naturally. Seeing Edward cut his hand while cooking, she brings a first-aid kit from her home to treat him. In return, Edward gives her an old typewriter he says he found on the street. Ingrid was an aspiring playwright.

Edward becomes close with Ingrid, having meals with her and so on. He is clearly attracted to her. But he cannot put it into words. Apparently, there was also another man in her life.

Just around that time, Edward undergoes a clinical trial for a new treatment. The doctor touted it as a groundbreaking treatment, but Edward was skeptical. He even suspected it might be a placebo.

However, the effects of the treatment appear surprisingly quickly. The skin on Edward's face falls off in chunks. Edward, his face covered in blood, peels off more skin. That scene is realistic and terrifying.

The second half features Edward, whose face has completely changed into that of a handsome man. He discarded his past (faking his own suicide) and lived as a different person named Guy. He seems to have turned his life around, succeeding in real estate, and his days seem full of confidence, unlike before.

By chance, he learns that Ingrid is holding auditions to stage her own play at a small theater. It was a play modeled after his former self. Edward auditions while hiding his true identity and is brilliantly cast as the lead. The distance between him and Ingrid also begins to shrink.

However, a man named Oswald, who has a face similar to Edward's old one, appears there. Oswald is intelligent, confident, and sociable. He immediately gets along with Ingrid and the staff. Edward is not at peace with his appearance and begins to clash with Ingrid as well. As a result, he loses the lead role and loses Ingrid as well. And so, he begins to fall.

Edward, who finally got the face he longed for, is toyed with by a man who looks exactly like his former self. He completely loses his own identity and suffers, wondering, 'It wasn't supposed to be like this' and 'What was I?' Through that figure, this film makes you think about various things such as lookism. It is by no means a movie that leaves you feeling refreshed, but for that reason, it hides a big question.

There have been movies about people with unique faces in the past, but this film has a unique color. It is an absurd thriller, but at the same time, it also has the atmosphere of horror and black comedy.

The play-within-a-play development in the second half is also a feature. Edward, who has obtained a new face, plays his former self wearing a mask. On the other hand, Oswald plays the role with his bare face without a mask. This reversal phenomenon is extremely effective in depicting the wavering of Edward's identity.

This film is produced by A24. In terms of being a provocative movie that disturbs people's hearts, it feels just right. By the way, it seems the 24th of every month is 'A24' day. What on earth is that?

The lead actor, Sebastian Stan ('Thunderbolts', 'The Apprentice'), gives a passionate performance in the first half with special makeup. Throughout the film, I was impressed by his acting, which expressed his wavering psychology without words.

Furthermore, Adam Pearson, who plays Oswald, actually has a unique face due to neurofibromatosis type 1. Alongside his work advocating for the rights of people with disabilities, he is also an active actor, known for roles in films like "Under the Skin." His charismatic performance makes this film shine even brighter.

Renate Reinsve ("The Worst Person in the World") also gives a fine performance as Ingrid.

Still, though... lookism. Appearance. It really is a troublesome issue. That is the kind of thing I found myself thinking about after watching the film.

◆ "A Different Man"
(2023, USA) (Running time: 1 hour 52 minutes)
Director/Screenplay: Aaron Schimberg
Cast: Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson, C. Mason Wells, Owen Kline, Michael Shannon
*Now showing at Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho and other theaters
Website https://happinet-phantom.com/different-man/
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● Viewing Data
Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at kino cinema Shinjuku. Viewed from 1:45 PM (Theater 1/D-9)