A Different Man

Different by name and different by nature, A Different Man is one of the most original films of the year. Not since the days of Charlie Kaufman, with his brilliant scripts for meta-movies Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Synecdoche, New York, has there been anything this bonkers.

By refracting Brian De Palma’s self-reflexiveness and the Coen brothers’ mordant fatalism through the prism of his most personal obsessions, Schimberg creates a house of mirrors so brilliant and complex that it becomes impossible to match any of his characters to their own reflections, and absolutely useless to reduce the movie around them to the stuff of moral instruction.

While the ending loses steam as “Different Man” gets in its own bizarre head, the film maintains a certain heady, psychological trippiness.

Come to this clever satire for Sebastian Stan’s radical transformation, beyond the prosthetics, but stay for Adam Pearson’s remarkable performance as a bona fide matinée idol.

Part of what’s refreshing about “A Different Man,” though, is that it never condescends to Edward—never treats him as magical or noble, the way many films do in depicting characters with disabilities.

There are a lot of ideas churning around in this intriguing but scattershot picture, which veers into the surreal and macabre in its quest to explore themes of identity, authenticity and the nature of beauty. Not all of it lands successfully, particularly in the increasingly agitated and fragmented second half.

A Different Man is a slog, made worse by the fact that it seems to mistake darkness for insight.

A Different Man feels like a Shakespearean tragic tale in modern times, with such a fascinating story, delivering a story reminiscent of The Elephant Man, but this time, it was the disfigured who become the equal challenge, it's a heartbreaking tale and a unique hell of an experience, elevated by outstanding performances from the entire cast, and Adam Pearson delivers an absolute iconic role, with its seamless blend of exceptional storytelling, masterful filmmaking, and stellar acting, A Different Man stands out as one of the most original and captivating works of the year, it's an absolute must watch and easily one of the best films of the year.

O filme tem tom de suspense no início mas é bem mais carregado na comédia e ironia. Comédia por varias situações que deveriam ser desconfortáveis na vdd geram um momento cômico e até sarcástico de certo modo. O desenvolvimento parece muito acelerado as vezes, dando a impressão que o roteiro teve uma boa ideia mas não soube desenvolver.

It starts off very slow with an extended first act, similar to many of the absurdist dark comedies coming from A24. It follows the A24 formula as well, with an overall interesting approach towards the material with the oft-times forced feeling Lanthimos zooms. Stan and Pearson give great performances. But a lot of the scenes with Reinsve feel forced with awkward dialogue. Still a worth a view as an indie with more on its mind than grotesque emptiness like "The Substance" this year.

(Mauro Lanari) A man is disfigured by neurofibromatosis, heals with experimental therapy but the identity problem is a MacGuffin, as he realizes his personality and existence don't benefit from it. Is his disposition innate, congenital, or the result of an overly long negative experience imprisoned in that face? The director is just interested in making a mess by comparing the protagonist with the counterexample of someone who, perfectly inhabiting his physical anomaly, is a successful person, even more: a charismatic monster. "Accept yourself for what you are and everyone will accept you": maybe in fantasyland. Schimberg "is so pleased with his theoretical design that he screams his authorship so loudly that many will fall for it. There's (only) form but in reality it's just junk. One of A24's lowest points" (Simone Emiliani).

So, basically The Substance for men. UNEXPECTED - BROODING - SATIRICAL - DISTURBING Tonight was a "disfigurement double feature", so go read the review for The Substance first. Ironically, I'd say all the same things here. Essentially, it's the same story. The pursuit of beauty ends in horrific disaster, showing us that it's not about what we look like... it's about who we are underneath our mask. A Different Man contrasts Edward's rise into a more beautiful appearance with his descent into madness as he realizes his new image didn't get him the life he always wanted. The overall style - color grading, cinematography, production design - was too... dark, faded. The film needed more color to balance out Stan's brooding brow and festering insanity. Stan's performance is transformative, as all the other critics are saying. His walk and posture as Edward were the icing on the cake. Excellent acting. His chemistry with Pearson ("Oswald") is fantastic. His confidence is everything. A reminder that the way you carry yourself is more influential than any face. Their performances contrast each other like Edward's rise and fall. All the stars are for these two. The first half sets up all the right questions and emotions, but it gets a little lost in the second half. The final scene lands awkwardly - not sure what was going on with the script there - but the last line brings it all home. I appreciated the story, because it's a necessary point to make in our society, but it's not my favorite commentary on this particular matter.