A Different Man captivated me. It made me think about our outlook on life.
A Different Man is two movies for the price of one. Edward’s face is disfigured due to neurofibromatosis type 1. We see him depressed and insecure and developing feelings for his neighbor. Nobody showed sympathy for him before, and we feel sorry for him. It’s The Elephant Man without David Lynch’s weirdness. That first half ends on a happier note, with him getting surgery and enjoying life as a beautiful man.
Now that we’re happy that he gets the theater role he was born to do and also gets the girl, another dude with NF1 comes into his life, and things get absurdly ironic. That’s when we get a second half of the film that subverts what the first half intended to be. It’s a dark comedy about the irony of life and not the kind of Oscar bait we see to feel sorry for the character for two hours.
Great Acting
MCU favorite Sebastian Stan is versatile as Edward in different stages of life. He is ready for more projects like this in an inevitable post-Marvel career. Adam Pearson is great as a charismatic man with a genetic condition. He is extraordinary and shows anyone can get a shot when the opportunity arises. Which is what the film is all about. We can’t omit the love interest Renate Reinsve. There is a reason why Worst Person of the World is one of the most acclaimed films of the past few years. She is magnetic in this role as the beautiful playwright.
A Different Man is a challenging film. With its humor and causticity, it tests the audience. Are we supposed to feel sorry for Edward? Was the face deformity enough of a limitation to live a good life? How thin is the line between empathy and condescendance? That’s why this film is so good for me. It made me think about the characters and their life’s point of view.
In the end, this may be unexpectedly cynical. That does not mean that it’s not inspiring. It is more inspiring than any Oscar bait. This is a candid film about a different man.
