A Different Man
The dark comedy of A Different Man may not resemble our own experiences, but beneath the surface, we can find a lot to relate to...
Edward is a social outcast, blaming a facial disfigurement for his lonely disposition. His new neighbor Ingrid is the only one who tries getting to know him, and she finds herself falling for him. But Edward’s insecurities keep him from pressing in, and she realizes it’s not going to work.
Edward strikes out again and again. A leaky hole develops in his ceiling–a visual manifestation of his growing resentment towards life. He knows there’s a black spot growing in his heart, but he’s hesitant to take steps toward patching it up.
Until a new experimental procedure comes along and Edward desperately agrees to undergo the operation. Soon Edward finds his abnormal skin peeling off to reveal a handsome man underneath. The fresh face gives him an immediate confidence boost, gaining him friends, lovers, a well-paying job, and an expensive apartment. But the change was purely cosmetic. After his transformation, he’s still the same self-loathing navel gazer he was before.
Ingrid, believing Edward to be dead, puts on a play based on his life. But the new Edward can’t even lock down the part of himself, a role he was born to play. His disfigurement was never the thing standing in his way. He’s actually just not a very good actor, and certainly not the kind of person you’d want to work with on set.
Oswald, another man with the same condition, enters with confidence and charisma, landing the lead role. He’s everything inside that Edward never was. Seeing others capitalize on his painful story drives Edward to madness. He might pretend he’s “a different man,” but he’s never put in the work to change for the better. Instead, he’s been entitled, assuming his attractive features earn him a seat at the table.
The irony of the film shows us that earthly metrics of success are really just fool’s gold. Edward had the world’s attention before his operation, but he failed to do anything with it. The one thing he needs more than nice clothes and a perfect headshot is self-respect. Integrity and strong character are what people are really drawn to. No matter what form stares back at you in the mirror, true peace comes from within.