A Different Man

The skill and sophistication on display in “A Different Man” are undeniable, but if there’s an issue with the film, it may be that it’s ultimately too claustrophobically clever for its own good.

Schimberg quite pertinently situates body horror in showbiz. He uses a world that spins on appearances—cinema, advertising and off-Broadway stage—to pin down lookism—how we perceive ourselves and how others notice us based on the way we look.

Every space around Edward becomes a manifestation of his psychic discontent.

Yes, there’s a sermon of sorts at the center of A Different Man. But the message arrives post-movie, thanks to a narrative that is consistently compelling in its novelty, and twin performances that really do get under the skin.

An audacious and mordantly funny attempt to analyse a subject that’s so often regarded as taboo.

It’s worth watching for Pearson’s performance. The karaoke scene — which seems almost mandatory in any comedy these days — is a highlight.

When our circumstances change, do we rise to the occasion or falter? Do we become the people we hoped to be or remain the same? A Different Man is a film that explores this idea in a logical extreme.

Fearless and empathetic but also darkly, bitterly humorous, this affecting dramedy explores themes of outward appearance and inward value with fresh, bracing vigor.

It might have a few kindred spirits in various ways among 2024's highlights, but nothing else truly like this has reached screens in years.

...well worth seeing as a case study of how people sabotage themselves by confusing interior and exterior change, and a satire of a culture eager to create palatable, uplifting stories at the expense of thorny truths.