A DIFFERENT MAN-A Very Different Dark/Comedy Written/Directed by Aaron Schimberg

The central character of A DIFFERENT MAN is Edward (Sebastian Stan), with grotesquely disfigured  facial features associated with neurofibromatosis:, a.k.a Elephant Man Syndrome. Edward lives alone with his car in a rundown apartment in New York City. His apartment ceiling has an ominous dark hole on its ceiling which continues to leak and worsen. We follow an abject Edward on public transportation. We see how he perceives repulsion or aversion in public. The new, next door neighbor Ingrid (Renata Reinsve) is startled and gasps when she first meets Edward. But, glamorous and garrulous Ingrid knocks first on his door to borrow detergent. A kinship, with a whiff of something more, ensues between the meek, lonely Edward and outgoing Ingrid in what is referred to later as a Beauty and the Beast relationship. Edward tells Ingrid of his acting aspirations (although his acting talent is abysmal aside from his hideous appearance). Ingrid tells Edward of her playwright aspirations, although she has yet to write anything, Meanwhile, Edward has become part of a medical study for a treatment to erase the tumors on his face. It's a miracle! He sheds the outer-layer of his facial skin in a horror-movie like scene and transforms into a handsome looking man. Edward assumes a new identity as Guy and informs his miracle worker Dr. and landlord that Ed is dead. From here the film moves slightly into the future. The new "Guy" is now a successful realtor. He has girlfriends and a busy social life. One would expect Guy to feel himself the luckiest guy in the world but his persona proves very different and perplexing. Guy spots Ingrid on the streets and follows into a small off-Broadway theater with a billboard that reads EDWARD a play written and directed by Ingrid. Guy reads for the part and is cast in the lead role. The play is basically taken from the experiences between Edward and Ingrid. Ingrid and Guy become sexually involved. But this happy interlude for Guy turns to turmoil when Oswald (Adam Pearson, an actor with neurofibromatosis) walks into the theater and usurps Guy's lead role. Oswald is charming, debonaire, and quite the ladies' man despite his badly distorted face. Guy's frustrations lead him off the deep-end and sabotages himself at work and with friends by wearing the mask that molded off his prior face.The play within the "movie" is clever and fun to watch until it ends in a disaster, especially for Guy. The messages here feel blurry and mixed. Does beauty lie in the eye of the beholder? Do looks define a person? Is it easier to change one's outward appearance rather than one's inner self? This beguiling and original film is lumped with peculiar moments that are startling and oftentimes puzzling. One scene in which Oswald sings karaoke is hauntingly beautiful. I recommend A DIFFERENT MAN for discerning movie lovers looking for something very different from your usual holiday fare or blockbuster feature.