‘A Different Man’ Offers Unexpected Look into Physical Appearances, Human Nature

By Yasuko Onda / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Writer

10:00 JST, July 18, 2025

About 20 years ago, “Hito wa Mitame ga Kyuwari” (Appearances matter 90% for people) became a bestselling book in Japan. With its eye-catching title, the book discusses the importance of non-verbal communication. The author, Ichiro Takeuchi, used “mitame,” meaning appearance, as an umbrella term not only for looks, but also various non-verbal information about someone, such as facial expressions, demeanor and tone of voice.

Still, preoccupations with looks persist no matter what. But why?

A Different Man, a new film written and directed by Aaron Schimberg, shakes up viewers’ preconceptions through its unexpected setting.

Protagonist Edward (played by Sebastian Stan of “The Apprentice” and the “Avengers” franchise) has severe facial disfigurements; living alone in his New York apartment, he dreams of becoming an actor, but cannot find a way forward. He spends his days unable to express himself, always concerned about how others look at him. He has a crush on a new neighbor, aspiring playwright Ingrid (Renate Reinsve), but cannot act on his feelings.

One day, however, Edward’s appearance undergoes a dramatic change. An experimental treatment he has undergone at the suggestion of a doctor has worked, and he starts a new life under a new name. Everything is going fine until Oswald (Adam Pearson), a man who looks exactly like Edward’s former self, comes along.

Can we become someone we want to be if our appearance changes? If not, why? Through Edward’s story, the film depicts the tragic nature of always wanting what we cannot have. Stan skillfully portrays Edward’s inner conflict with the help of special effects makeup in the film’s first half, and his own face in the latter half. The ensemble, with Pearson’s Oswald as the epitome of non-verbal communication and Reinsve naturally embodying a woman unbound by societal values, are also outstanding.

In showing the consequences of obsession with appearance and surprising twists, the film shares some elements with “The Substance,” starring Demi Moore. Both introduce fictitious advanced medical treatments – but as real-world cosmetic procedures pervade society at an incredible speed, the horror comes from the stories not seeming completely fantastical.

Stan and Moore both won the 2025 Golden Globe awards for best performance in a motion picture in the musical and comedy category for these film roles. The fact that they won in this category may mean that people saw the inherent ludicrousness of human nature reflected in both performances. But I can’t just laugh it off.

Onda is a Yomiuri Shimbun senior writer with expertise in film.