By Orla Ruane, First Year, English Literature
In a world where insurmountable pressure is placed on ‘fitting in’ and being considered beautiful, the futile quest to be conventionally attractive in order to gain acceptance plagues its victims. While being condemned by those who mindlessly preach ‘self-love,’ others prescribe to the idea of internal beauty being the true indicator of outward beauty.
In ‘A Different Man,’ a psychological thriller written and directed by Aaron Schimberg, we follow the character of Edward, played by Sebastian Stan, an aspiring actor with neurofibromatosis (a rare genetic condition that causes changes in skin pigment and growth of benign tumours on nerve tissue). Impactfully depicting the daily challenges facing those living with facial disfigurement, the audience witness Edward’s acting roles become compartmentalised into disability training videos as the unwavering aspiration of success leaves him questioning the possibilities life could have in store if his appearance allowed him to ‘fit in’.
Effectively depicting a crossroads within Edward’s life, Schimberg reveals the possibility of change within the protagonist’s existence as he is offered a transformative medical procedure resulting in his skin peeling away to reveal a new face without tumours. The symbolic death of Edward as his unrecognisable transformation leads him to rename himself ‘Guy’ allows the audience to witness him navigate a new world, seemingly miraculously fitting in, or more realistically blending into the background of society.
The idea of beauty not being merely skin deep is emphatically portrayed by the character Oswald, played by Adam Pearson (a British actor and campaigner living with neurofibromatosis). In tandem with the protagonist’s transformation into Guy, the threat of Oswald is complicit in the character’s demise as his presence is a constant reminder of the man he used to be and the identity he has lost. His former neighbour Ingrid, played by Renate Reinsve, writes a play based on her relationship with Edward, provoking Guy to adorn the graph made of his previous face in order to be cast in the role. The divorce between his old and new identity results in his descent towards mania. As the death of Edward is merely skin deep, the person within remains unchanged, disturbed by Ingrid’s perception of Edward and the threatening presence of Oswald. Friction born from the agitation of being told to play himself in a way that did not align with his personal view leads to conflict, resulting in Guy being replaced with Edward’s doppelgänger Oswald.
Reminding the audience to be careful what they wish for, the paradox of Oswald’s charming, funny and warm nature in spite of his condition contradicts the hard-hearted nature of Guy. The loss of his identity results in a divide between what he thought his life would become as a result of his transformation and the stark reality as further psychological damage torments Guy’s life.
I believe that Schimberg uses the opposition between Guy and Edward to reinforce that aspirations to alter physical appearance are futile as the pursuit to ‘fit in’ will not resolve the issues that plague your life. As the thriller reminds us that the idea of being conventionally attractive is not the happy ending that we have been indoctrinated to believe, the film focuses on what could have been for Edward as his character witnesses the life that he has irreversibly altered play out in front of his own eyes. As the protagonist is forced to witness Oswald’s success that alternatively could have been his, the inability to escape himself ultimately results in his downfall.
What are your thoughts on A Different Man?
