A24 debuted the official trailer for A Different Man, the dark comedy film starring Sebastian Stan as Edward, a man with the craniofacial condition known as neurofibromatosis who undergoes surgery hoping for a new start in life, but things don’t go as expected.
Also starring in the movie are Renate Reinsve and Adam Pearson.
A Different Man world premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, then screened in Competition at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival where Sebastian Stan won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance.
Release Date
Directed by Aaron Schimberg, A Different Man opens in theaters on September 20, 2024.
Synopsis
Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.
Reviews
The Guardian review gave the film 2 of 5 stars, writing, Like Joker, another well-made but punishing film that torments its hero into evil, A Different Man is a slog, made worse by the fact that it seems to mistake darkness for insight. I will give points for Schimberg’s visual work at the outset, which effectively conjured a sense of discomfort or dread, as well as bursts of retro flourishes and occasional gestures of insight on society’s value on beauty. But that’s not enough to justify the endurance test.
ScreenRant review called the film A ‘frustrating, chaotic drama thriller’ wrote, “On the surface, Schimberg’s film can be insightful. The story doesn’t linger in what could have easily become a sorrowful affair. Its dark humor keeps the momentum going, and it contains a couple of surprising and interesting turns that mix things up, so we’re never quite sure where the story is truly headed. But there’s also a sense of detachment, a psychological thriller that doesn’t fully explore Edward’s interiority. It leads to a conclusion that is hollow, perhaps because Edward himself seems devoid of any genuine emotion. Often, he feels like an idea, a canvas the film can paint on.”
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer for A Different Man.