Author: Bryan Loomis
Confidence is a hell of a drug. That's the core of the premise of A Different Man. Edward has facial tumors and no confidence. He struggles to get the relationship or the acting roles he desires. Then he undergoes an experimental treatment to remove the facial tumors, and all seems well at first. Then Oswald, who also has facial tumors, shows up. From the moment Oswald walks into a room in A Different Man, it's clear that he has a level of charisma that Edward could never dream of. Edward gets jealous and things spiral. Solid premise.
What was most surprising to me was the execution, though. It's a movie with a strong enough hook to be played as a straight psychological drama. This movie isn't that, though. It has a light surrealism to it, with a bit of dark humor mixed in. There's a leak in the ceiling, fingers are accidentally cut while slicing vegetables, a cockroach lands in a coffee cup unseen. There's also not an emphasis on naturalism, as the characters behave in whatever ways best support the core thesis of the movie. It feels intentional rather than lazy, and it works in the context.
There's one exception that doesn't work as well, and that's the character of Ingrid. Ingrid swings from an angel to a monster at the drop of a pin depending on what the movie needs at the moment. A generous reading would be that she's just a monster the whole time and using Edward to bolster her creative process or because she thinks it's funny - but the movie doesn't really make that clear. Her character is an effective bait and switch to make Edward feel terrible, but I have no clue what makes her tick. As she is the only real female character in the movie and gets quite a bit of screentime, I could have used a bit more interiority. The issue is almost papered over by Renate Reinsve, though, who gives a fantastic and lively performance.
Performances throughout are a strength. Sebastian Stan deserves his golden glove, as he displays incredible range. Particularly impressive are some late scenes where he tries to mimic Osward’s behavior and charm but comes off as terrifying and a creep. Adam Pearson is also unbelievably good in this movie. He's so charismatic and kind that even though his character functions as somewhat of an antagonist and rival to our lead, he's not even remotely unlikeable. He isn't introduced until after the halfway point of the film for plot reasons, and I left wishing he had more screentime.
Things continue to spiral and A Different Man turns into a proper descent into madness movie. Some of these late choices and big swings land, but a couple don't work quite as well. The very last scene is a really effective cap on the themes, with one of the funniest bits in the movie that I won't spoil. It brings the movie back to the core theme of jealousy and confidence. The more we let our base instincts of envy and entitlement rule our lives, the worse off we'll be.
3.5/5 Stars
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