A Different Man
Summary
We have all put on nonliteral masque throughout our lives , calculate on the berth we might discover ourselves in at any given point . A Different Manuses a literal mask , but the stage is no less pertinent . But the film , write and directed by Aaron Schimberg , suggests that pretend to be someone you ’re not is at long last a job , and a decision that will come back to ghost you . But while the premise is thought - provoking , the execution leaves much to be desired . Oscillating between being darkly queer and thrilling , the tonic shifts and lack of belief do n’t work in its favour .
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Cast
A Different Man is a thriller written and manoeuver by Aaron Schimberg and premiered in 2024 . An actor named Edward effort to make himself a more marketable role player by have pregnant reconstructive surgical procedure on his look , but the results provide much to be desire . Now , having lost the role of his dream , Edward takes extreme measuring to get it back as his compulsion turn dark .
A Different Man Makes A Good Point, But It’s Detached
A unlike Manlingers on Edward ’s ( Sebastian Stan ) sad life at the start . He ’s a loner , his disfigured face the center of mocking attending and horrific glances . His flat is in complete disarray , the ceiling a shameful mouldy lot that continuously leaks . The state of Edward ’s apartment mull over his state of mind , as he ’s disinterested in operate with anyone . Until his fresh neighbor , Ingrid ( The Worst Person in the World’sRenate Reinsve ) , takes pastime . That does n’t last long because a operation literally gives him a fresh face , one he believe will tolerate him to achieve ambitions he ’s only dreamed about .
It leads to a determination that is empty , perhaps because Edward himself seems barren of any real emotion . Often , he feel like an idea , a canvas the motion-picture show can paint on .
The moving-picture show ponders whether we would be happy being someone else . After all , the Gunter Wilhelm Grass is suppose to be greenish on the other side , ripe ? But Edward chop-chop realizes that being “ Guy ” makes his lifetime all the more complicated because he leads with dishonesty . How can he be himself when he ’s pretending to be someone he ’s not ? In a twist , Adam Pearson ’s Oswald , who is also facially disfigured , is leading a full living with friends and activities and sexual love . Edward is jealous and angry because he feel like he ’s being booted from the life he reckon he would run — as well as the play Ingrid writes that ’s base on him .
On the surface , Schimberg ’s film can be insightful . The story does n’t linger in what could have easy become a sorrowful affair . Its dark humor keeps the momentum going , and it contains a couple of surprising and interesting turns that mix things up , so we ’re never quite sure where the story is truly headed . But there ’s also a sense of withdrawal , a psychological thriller that does n’t in full search Edward ’s interiority . It guide to a conclusion that is hollow , perhaps because Edward himself seems free of any genuine emotion . Often , he feels like an idea , a canvas the film can paint on .
The Film Prioritizes Plot Over Character
In this instance , it ’s the plot of ground over character that drives the moving picture to its ending , and it ’s difficult to reconcile what the flick wants to be with what it in reality is . A Different Mancan be quite mussy at times , andit becomes tedious to catch after a certain point . But the deficiency of emotion is at the core of its problems . I understood the message , but I never cared enough about Edward to be gift in his animation or its upshot . Stan does what he can , but even his performance come off as emotionally aloof and stilted .
The picture ’s point is a ripe one , but it does n’t bring enough sincerity or feeling to the table for us to latch onto . It can get progressively ludicrous and , though it ’s also bluff on occasion , the story needed some polishing , peculiarly as it divert from being a thriller , its score being the thing most dedicated to prompt us it is . And whileA Different Manattempts to be a thought - provoke work some of the time , it ’s not as mystifying or as unplumbed as it aims to be .
A Different Manpremiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival .
