6 movies to watch if you liked A Different Man
The critically acclaimed A Different Man by Aaron Schimberg has garnered a lot of interest for its intriguing premise. In the psychological thriller, Sebastian Stan plays Edward Lemuel, a struggling actor with neurofibromatosis. As he is conscious of his facial disfigurement, he secretly undergoes an experimental medical treatment. When it works, he assumes a whole new identity under the name, Guy Moratz.
He believes this change will enable him to romantically pursue his crush Ingrid Vold, an aspiring playwright portrayed by Renate Reinsve. However, when Ingrid produces an off-Broadway play titled Edward based on his old life, things start to get complicated. A Different Man's bold narrative has received much praise for its realistic portrayal of the value society places on outward appearances.
Like A Different Man, there are other engaging movies mentioned on this list that explore similar thought-provoking themes.
Disclaimer: This list contains information from various sources.
Dorian Grey, The Substance and four other movies like A Different Man that explore beauty and identity
1) The Face of Another (1966)
In A Different Man, Edward's personality changes when he adopts a new identity. The protagonist of this Japanese film experiences something similar. Tatsuya Nakadai plays Okuyama, an engineer whose face becomes disfigured after an industrial accident. When he starts wearing an experimental prosthetic mask, his personality changes drastically.
Based on a novel by Kōbō Abe, The Face of Another boasts striking black-and-white cinematography complemented by inspired performances by the lead actors. Like A Different Man, this classic movie prompts viewers to ponder about the way physical appearance can impact a person's quality of life and accessibility to opportunities.
The layered narrative also raises pertinent questions about identity and how it can be linked to one's physical features.
Where to watch: The Face of Another by Hiroshi Teshigahara can be streamed on Plex.
2) Open Your Eyes (1997)
For Edward, his facial disfigurement stops him from pursuing his love interest in A Different Man. The lead of Open Your Eyes also feels distanced from the love of his life after an accident leaves him disfigured.
Directed by Alejandro Amenábar, this Spanish movie stars Eduardo Noriega and Penélope Cruz in the lead. Noriega plays César, an attractive man who is admired by women. He starts developing feelings for Sofía (Cruz) but an accident changes the course of their relationship.
The premise may sound familiar to cinephiles as an American remake of this film was released in 2001, Vanilla Sky, starring Tom Cruise. The main highlight of Open Your Eyes has to be the thought-provoking narrative which offers the perfect blend of suspense and drama. It also cleverly weaves in science fiction elements as the plot progresses without making it feel forced.
Where to watch: Open Your Eyes is available for streaming on Netflix, Prime Video and Plex.
3) Dorian Grey (2009)
The narrative of A Different Man tackles the impact unreasonable beauty standards can have on individuals. Edward never really felt confident to live life to the fullest before his treatment because he was afraid of being judged. And so, it is understandable for Ben Barnes' character, Dorian Gray, to think highly of his youthful and attractive appearance.
He eventually comes across a painting that prevents him from aging. But whenever he commits any sins, it gets reflected in his portrait. Even though the fantasy horror is based on Oscar Wilde's famous novel, the creators take several creative liberties that allow it to be distinctively different.
In A Different Man, Edward's transformation doesn't have the effect he hoped. Even in the case of Dorian, he learns soon enough that staying youthful doesn't necessarily guarantee happiness and contentment. It is interesting to see how the demeanor of his character changes and becomes increasingly evil over time.
Where to watch: Dorian Grey by Oliver Parker can be viewed on Prime Video and Plex.
4) Phoenix (2014)
In A Different Man, Edward ends up playing his old self in Ingrid's play even after his transformation. Something similar happens to the protagonist in Phoenix as well. Directed by Christian Petzold, it stars Nina Hoss as Holocaust survivor Nelly Lenz who has to get plastic surgery due to a bullet wound. However, the surgeon is unable to recreate her old face completely.
When she reunites with her husband, Johnny, portrayed by Ronald Zehrfeld, he is unable to recognize her. But he decides to use her to get Nelly's inheritance as he feels her facial features are similar to his ex-wife, who he believes to be dead.
The intelligent narrative of Phoenix explores how the victims of the Holocaust had to face multiple betrayals at the hands of the people who they felt they could trust. The movie starts slow but picks up pace over time. Hoss, in particular, delivers a moving performance and makes the audience really feel the pain and trauma her character has to deal with.
Where to watch: Phoenix is available for streaming on MUBI, Apple TV+ and Plex.
5) The Beauty Inside (2015)
Viewers find the narrative of A Different Man intriguing because it raises questions about whether beauty is only skin deep. The same theme can be seen in The Beauty Inside which marked Baik's feature film debut.
The main character is Woo-jin who wakes up every day in a different body and is therefore played by a variety of actors. His condition makes it hard for him to pursue romantic relationships but he is lucky to find Yi-soo, portrayed by Han Hyo-joo. Even though Yi-soo understands his situation, it does eventually bear heavy on their relationship.
Both The Beauty Inside and A Different Man boast meaningful narratives that remind viewers to focus on inner beauty instead of outward appearances. Another reason to watch this movie is for the ensemble cast. Each actor who plays Woo-jin brings something new to the table and adds to the character's endearing personality.
Where to watch: The Beauty Inside can be streamed on Prime Video.
6) The Substance (2024)
Like in A Different Man, the protagonist of The Substance also wants to portray a more attractive version of herself in front of people. Directed by Coralie Fargeat, it stars Demi Moore in the lead. She plays Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading celebrity who gets fired by her producer due to her age.
Since she is not ready to let go, she takes a black-market drug that creates a younger version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley. Even though it is exuberating to flaunt her youthful features at first, Elisabeth soon realizes that the drug has dangerous side effects that could ruin her life.
The Substance, like A Different Man, is engaging and disturbing at the same time. Both Moore and Qualley never miss a beat in terms of delivering the right depth and intensity. Cinematically, Fargeat manages to set up compelling shots that leave a lasting impression on the viewer.
Where to watch: The Substance is available for streaming on MUBI, Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Plex.
Fans of A Different Man should keep an eye out for these memorable titles because they also feature lead protagonists struggling to come to terms with their features and appearance.
