Shocking Twist! Actor Abandons His Identity in ‘A Different Man’, Then Yearns for it!

Aaron Schimberg, an accomplished writer-director, unveils a compelling narrative about a neurotic New Yorker who undergoes an experimental facial transformation in the brilliantly acted, peculiar, and comical film “A Different Man”, starring Sebastian Stan. The film echoes Rod Serling’s nightmare fantasies and draws on a variety of cinematic influences from different periods known for their unsettling entertainment: 1930s and ’40s horror noir, 1970s neurotic comedy, and raw ’80s indies portraying city life.

“A Different Man” aligns with Schimberg’s continuous exploration of the fluidity of identity with its unique perspective. If you’re familiar with his smart, quick-witted 2019 film “Chained for Life”, about the complexities arising on the set of a low-budget film featuring disabled actors, you will appreciate Schimberg’s sensitivity to daily slights and subtle prejudices. As a cinema scholar, Schimberg adds another layer, highlighting how culture influences our perceptions and interactions.

We first meet Edward (Stan), a reticent individual with severe facial disfigurements, who seems resigned to his fate: perceived as an oddity by the world and living life on the sidelines. He works as an actor, his role being to instruct employees on interacting with “facially different” colleagues in a training video – a task as awkward as it sounds. It’s unclear whether Edward sees himself as a true artist. His job could just as well be the Lonely Man in a Dark Apartment, dealing with a persistently leaking, rapidly expanding hole in his ceiling.

However, Edward’s life takes a turn when he catches the eye of his attractive, observant new neighbor Ingrid (played by Renate Reinsve of “The Worst Person in the World”), an aspiring playwright. Edward is secretly considering a revolutionary medical procedure that could alter his face and change the trajectory of his life. In Schimberg’s universe, everyone is so attuned to culture that even Edward’s doctor suggests he could be the subject of a future documentary.

One distressing evening, Edward sees the effects of his treatment as his face begins to disintegrate into a bloody, gelatinous mess, revealing the figure of Sebastian Stan in the mirror. Seizing the chance for reinvention, Edward introduces himself as “Guy” to his building’s superintendent, who fails to recognize him, and casually mentions that Edward has passed away.

Schimberg quickly transitions to the next phase of the story, where Guy is now a successful real estate agent, living in a chic apartment, having an office affair, and his handsome face featuring prominently in the company’s stylish advertisements. But when Guy spots his old neighbor Ingrid on the street, he can’t resist following her into a small theater, where he discovers she’s casting actors for her debut play about a melancholic, disfigured man named Edward. Suddenly, the identity he had discarded becomes an attractive role and a risky gateway.

Channeling John Frankenheimer’s 1966 psychological drama “Seconds” and “Beauty and the Beast”, Schimberg has conjured up a narrative with a twist, where the remodeled protagonist is trapped in a cycle of self-destruction as his past catches up with him. Edward was genuine, a trait he sacrificed to become the generic “Guy”, appreciated only when donning the mask of his former self.

The artistic process, along with a third collaborator, Guy’s understudy Oswald (the captivating Adam Pearson of “Under the Skin,” who has neurofibromatosis), further complicates these identity issues. Ingrid’s relentless quest for moral truth (and good reviews and a full house) leads her towards Oswald’s wisdom and charisma. Oswald, who shares Edward’s facial features but possesses a confidence and rewarding life far removed from the depressed Edward or the envious Guy, whom Stan portrays brilliantly with each simmering scowl.

The satirical humor infused in the subsequent reversal of fortunes – centered on how the popular and sociable Oswald’s presence exacerbates Guy/Edward’s identity crisis – is as astutely conceived as any seen in the prime of “Zelig”-era Woody Allen or Charlie Kaufman films. The film’s vintage aesthetic is enhanced by Wyatt Garfield’s grainy 16mm cinematography and Umberto Smerilli’s haunting score, which collectively paint a picture of an overwhelming metropolis reminiscent of Roman Polanski’s “The Tenant”.

However, the film’s cautionary tale leaves us with a positive takeaway: the promising future of actor Pearson, who Schimberg first cast in “Chained for Life”. Pearson’s magnetic charisma illuminates the script’s themes, and his remarkable performance in “A Different Man” – possibly the final word on disability-themed satires – gives hope that he will secure a career that showcases his evident talent, marking a welcome shift in the industry.