“A Different Man” tells the story of Edward (played by Stan), an aspiring actor with a facial difference who is tired of being judged by his appearance. Edward has neurofibromatosis, which causes tumors to grow all over his face. Edward struggles to find work due to his facial differences and is cast in a short film regarding the inclusion of people with facial differences in the workplace. Although it was made with good intentions, the film is very othering and portrays people with facial differences as an oddity meant to be tolerated. Watching the film fills him with internalized ableism, and Edward chooses to undergo an experimental procedure to “cure his disability.” He experiences a rather disturbing “shedding” of his old face to reveal a new, more commonly “attractive” face. With his new face come new experiences, and Edward chooses to take the extreme step of leaving his old life behind, changing his name and general identity. After an undetermined amount of time has passed, Edward, now going by “Guy,” discovers that his old neighbor, Ingrid, has written a play about him. Without giving up any plot spoilers, we can share that in the process of auditioning and finding a role in the play, Edward meets another man with neurofibromatosis named Oswald. Oswald is loud, proud, and friendly. He seems to bring warmth and joy to every room he enters. People love him, and he fits in easily. The remainder of the movie focuses on Edward’s embarrassment, confronting the reality that people weren’t necessarily judgemental of his disability but rather found his personality boring and meakish, something that wouldn’t change regardless of his facial appearance. The film was haunting, philosophical, and darkly funny, but, what really made “A Different Man” great was the way it handled disability. Often movies about characters with disabilities are played by nondisabled actors. This is known as “cripping up,” and it is a harmful practice. Nondisabled actors imitating our speech, behaviors, and natural body movements can feel like a mockery of our community. Movies written by and for people without disabilities often spread negative stereotypes and misconceptions about our quality of life. Examples of this would be “Me Before You” or “Rain Man.” This is a common trope in the media. “A Different Man” explores this trope throughout the film, using dark comedy to allow viewers to laugh at how absurd it is to believe such harmful tropes were ever acceptable. Pearson’s lived experience as a person with a facial difference shapes the direction of the film and alters the public perception of disabled people as a whole. The director, Aaron Schimberg, has a cleft palate and also filmed the movie from the perspective of someone with a facial difference. Intense, up-close shots emulate for the viewer the profoundly uncomfortable sensation of being stared at, something that all people with visible disabilities can unfortunately relate to. These scenes bring our experiences to the consciousness of the general public. “A Different Man” is a rare, authentic movie that shows people with facial differences not as one-dimensional villains or sad objects of pity, but as complex and compelling protagonists and heroes who are role models to people with facial differences, people with disabilities, and everyone, everywhere. To learn more about how people with facial differences have historically been negatively portrayed in the media, please follow the link below. |
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