Edward is a man who lives with a severely disfigured face due to life with a neurological disorder. He is self conscious, introverted, with no confidence. He learns of a drug that may cure him, and signs up.
When it does, he becomes a ‘different’ version of himself, and soon finds himself cured. He then signs onto a play, written by his former neighbour – about him where he now plays himself… but soon he is up against another man with the same disfigurement – but oozes confidence and is extremely extroverted.
Direction
With a ‘vintage’ like look and feel about it, the era that this is set in could be any time anywhere
The semi frequent fade in/fade outs – as well as the way the camera moves with the characters has an almost ‘play like’ feel to it, which is ironic due to the fact the characters are making a play throughout the film.
Cast/Characters
Sebastian Stan plays Edward/Guy, and does such an amazingly convincing performance in the first half of the film – I was gobsmacked to learn that he was under all that make up right up to the ‘transformation’ scene. While he was nominated for an Oscar for The Apprentice (review coming soon), he could have easily been nominated for this performance.
He plays basically two characters here, the disfigured Edward, and later the ‘classically normal’ Guy following his transformation. While Edward is so introverted and lacks confidence, Guy has slightly more. He does the things he couldn’t do as Edward – but ironically needs a mask that is a mock up of his old face in order to ‘perform’ on stage.
Adam Pearson, plays Oswald – and is the polar opposite of Edward. He is confident in his own skin, despite his abrupt appearance. He has talent where Edward lacks, is able to converse with women where Edward can not. He is literally everything Edward… now Guy wishes he was.
Renate Rensve plays Ingrid, who first meets Edward as the ‘disfigured’ version of himself. She goes on to form a friendship with him, but when he shows interest in something more she pulls away. After the ‘transformation’ and Edward becomes Guy, and Oswald arrives – she takes a shining to Oswald’s more extroverted and confident nature.
Screenplay/Setting/Themes
One of the main reasons I chose this as one of my podcast episodes (link below) is due to Pearson’s affliction of Neurofibromatosis; something I too live with. I was disappointed that the condition was never mentioned throughout the film, as it would have given extra attention to it had it of been.
The make up department earned their Academy Award nomination as for the first half of the film, Edward is played by an unreckognisable Stan. I honestly thought that this was actually Adam Pearson the first time I watched, so kudos to them.
The theme of identity, and knowing ones self is particularly important. While Edwards core identity is that of low confidence and introverted – this still lingers even once he is ‘cured’. It takes a significant incident to get him ‘back’ to his true self – where in the final moments he is still low confidence (unable to choose what to eat).
I won’t go into too much detail here, but I did find ‘the incident’ with the therapist strange, and out of character. Why Edward did this is never really explained. It is followed by a significant time jump when he is now back home, where he quickly runs into Oswald and Ingrid. Was this just to give a significant time jump? Was it to show Edward was over his anger issues? I just wanted more here.
Overall
A well written, and acted film – especially from Stan who goes above and beyond in what most actors would be prepared to do.
I was a little disappointed that Neurofibromatosis was not mentioned throughout the film, as it would have given more — to the disorder that affects so many.
Give it a watch.
3.5/5
Please check my podcast on this episode through your favourite app
https://antandrymoviechats.podbean.com/e/a-different-man-2024/
Or through YouTube
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