A Different Man movie review by Movie Review Mom

MOVIE TITLE: A Different Man

This dramatic tale is now playing in select theaters, as well as on Fandango at Home and Max.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 52 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B+

IN A NUTSHELL:

This unique film was directed by Aaron Schimberg who also wrote the screenplay. The story is about an aspiring actor who undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance, but his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

This movie is not appropriate for kids.
Young kids might be frightened by the monstrous-looking face.
We see blood, wounds, gore, and vomit. Bleh.
Some profanity, including F-bombs
Portrayal of a suicide
We see a completely nude woman “going at it” with a man in bed.
We see full-frontal nudity of a man.
Some bloody violence

THEMES:

Happiness
Finding yourself: Identity
Self-confidence
Self-acceptance
Societal pressures
Manhood
Insecurity
Be careful what you wish for
Victim vs. hero

THINGS I LIKED:

I’m so impressed with A24 for all of the interesting, creative films they have been pumping out in recent years.
Sebastian Stan gives a fantastic performance and has already been nominated for several awards. His body language and demeaner really sold the role. Early in the film, we see a picture of the main character as a young boy with his mother. That’s actually Sebastian Stan with his real mother! Sebastian and the director also worked as the Executive Producers.
Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve is lovely. I had never seen her in anything before. She reminded me of German actress Vicky Krieps.
Adam Pearson is a British actor who has neurofibromatosis type 1 in real life. Speaking about living with his condition, he stated, “Kindness goes a long way.”
It was filmed in only 22 days.
Michael Shannon plays himself in a fun cameo performance.
The play within the movie shows us many of the themes and messages.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The film makes New York City look like a complete dump.
The film is marketed as a dark comedy, but it feels more like a body horror
Not everyone is going to enjoy or appreciate this type of movie. An audience member watching the play within the movie later comments about how long it was and how hard it was to watch. Those who didn’t like the movie are saying the same things.

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