de facto film reviews 2 stars

A Different Man is a strange concoction. It is a film of two halves, one fairly decent and the other increasingly obnoxious and less engaging. Despite the presence of three terrific performers, the film fails to coalesce into anything beyond a curiosity. Sebastian Stan stars as Edward Lemuel, an actor of questionable skill, who suffers from low self-esteem and paranoia, brought on in large part by living with the condition of neurofibromatosis.

Courtesy A24

Edward lives alone in a leaky apartment, paralyzed by fear from doing much of anything and certain the world is out to get him. One day, he spots a new neighbor, Ingrid (Renate Reinsve), who turns out to be an aspiring playwright. Edward gifts her a typewriter he found on the street and says to write him a part for the future. They strike up a series of conversations and meals. Edward learns of a radical procedure that could reverse the symptoms of his condition and undergoes the treatment. After a series of body horror-like scenes where his skin falls off, Edward is left with only the bust-impression that was made of his original face. He decides to make a change, and escape his life.

Pretending he has died, Edward assumes the mantle of Guy Moratz and proceeds to build a new life as a successful real estate agent. Years pass and one day, Edward, still burdened by all his problems, spies Ingrid and follows her, discovering she has written a play about him, called “Edward” and he manages to both get the starring role and to end up dating-briefly-Ingrid. But it is not to last, as Oswald, a man with ten thousand times more confidence and charm than Edward, and with his condition, shows up and assumes what Edward had believed was finally his. Unfortunately, the arrival of the wonderful  Adam Pearson as Oswald signals a shift in the film, from quirky thriller to an unfocused mess.

Courtesy A24

Who is Edward, really? Is Oswald a villain or only in Edward’s mind? If either of these had been asked or answered, we might have had a more interesting film. Instead, we are left with something that vaguely reminds this reviewer of aspects of The End of the Affair, but without the charm or acting acumen. Additionally, too many questions are unanswered. Why did Ingrid not recognize Edward’s voice when she overheard him, as Guy, telling Edward’s visitor that Edward had died? For that matter, why did the visitor, Edward’s doctor, not recognize him at all?

The second half of the film seems to exist merely to push forward through elements the writer wants to see happen, but without any real depth and lacking any connection to the audience. Edward is a vastly more interesting character until Oswald shows up, and then he becomes someone that is boring, because he becomes driven only by his worst qualities, in ways that do not feel relatable as much as they do petulant. What is intended as a mental breakdown does not work as intended because Edward was not all there to begin with. While you may feel something, slightly, in the way Edward is brushed aside, you also may find yourself saying “you brought this on yourself” and wondering why anyone would bother.

Courtesy A24

Indeed, Edward seems more like a child than an adult, and the same adults will in one scene “betray him” then be attacked by him and immediately find themselves caring for him as though nothing has taken place. Are they saints? Did the writer not know how to balance character conflict and resolution? It is not a film without merit, and your mileage may vary. It is a film that, with a bit more consideration toward character interaction and less reliance on obvious plot manipulation, could have become something special rather than an interesting misfire. The first half is really rather good, though, and that is the shame of it.

A Different Man is now available to rent or purchase on digital platforms.