Aaron Schimberg’s A Different Man signals its literary influences right from the start, referencing The Elephant Man and Cyrano de Bergerac—a clip even appears on a television screen to ensure viewers get it. However, the film's true inspiration, unstated, is Hiroshi Teshigahara’s The Face of Another (1966). Similar to that Japanese work, Schimberg’s movie poses the question of what happens when a man sheds his disfi…

Stories dealing with self-esteem, social acceptance, and prejudice certainly deserve attention, but only if they are told in a clear, understandable, and relatable way. Sadly, writer-director Aaron Schimberg's third film fails to achieve that. The movie centers on the peculiar story of Edward Lemuel (Sebastian Stan), an aspiring New York actor who has a severe facial disfigurement – his face is covered with tumorous …

The film _A Different Man_ presents a captivating contradiction: what happens to someone who feels like an outsider due to his appearance when those visible distinctions disappear? Does this lead to acceptance, a complete change in fortune? Or is true fulfillment more complex than just outward appearances? New York writer-director Aaron Schimberg prompts viewers to consider whether Edward’s circumstances are impro…

Edward, portrayed by Sebastian Stan, is a man with facial disfigurements living in a neglected apartment, seemingly without much direction in his life. His circumstances change when a new neighbor arrives. Ingrid, played by Renato Reinsve, is a writer who befriends him and offers him a role in her play. Simultaneously, medical professionals initiate an experimental treatment that gradually restores his appearance. Up…