In 2024, Sebastian Stan was in vastly different movies that had one thing in common: transformation.

In The Apprentice, Stan played a young Donald Trump, who evolves from successful New York businessman into a political aspirant. Stan’s better role that year was in A Different Man, in which he depicts a man with a disfigured face who discovers that looks run skin deep.

Aaron Schimberg’s movie, which is out on Netflix, is a dark comedy with surreal touches in the vein of Being John Malkovich. Stan plays Edward, an actor afflicted with neurofibromatosis that has manifested itself over his face. Socially awkward because of his condition, Edward agrees to an experimental surgery that will alter his appearance.

The procedure might lead to the acting career in theatre that Edward always wanted. It might also earn the affections of his neighbour, the playwright Ingrid (Renate Reinsve).

Everything goes per plan until Oswald turns up. Oswald (Adam Pearson) has the same condition as Edward, but he has other things too – healthy self-esteem, a sense of humour, a way with the ladies. Edward finds himself in danger of being replaced by a man who looked like his previous self but has no problem getting ahead because of it.

Aaron Schimberg’s screenplay is like a modern-day fairy tale, in which a...

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