An aspiring actor undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance, but his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare.
I don’t know why this movie exists, but I enjoyed it.
Sebastian Stan, again, was impeccable. Adam Pearson, who I didn’t know anything about until this movie, was a delight. I hope to see both of them recognized come Oscar nomination time.
The lighting was wonderful, and I’m gonna have to watch this at least three times to understand what the plaids mean. I think they mean something, but I couldn’t grasp it on my first viewing.
This is a study of celebrity in one manner and a story of acceptance in another.
Edward (Sebastian Stan) is unhappy with his appearance, and that shines through in his personality. He befriends his neighbor, a playwright, and has a bit of a brush of romance with her.
Then, he gets the chance to try an experimental drug that could change his appearance. He, of course, takes it.
And when his appearance changes, it’s like he expects his inner feelings to change, too. Of course, it doesn’t. Nothing does unless you make a conscious effort to work on the stuff boiling up inside of you. You can change the exterior (or your situation) over and over, but nothing will change in a meaningful way until you put in the work to heal yourself.
Wait, sorry, this is a movie review.
Once his appearance changes, he drops his old life in favor of something bigger and brighter.
Then, one day, his old life comes creeping back in… in the form of a play written by his former neighbor, and he auditions for it.
Watching good actors act like they are NOT good actors is one of my favorite things to watch. Sebastian Stan nails it.
Then one day, a gentleman walks in with the same affliction that Sebastian Stan (Edward) is supposed to be portraying. He is everything Edward was not: loud, funny, and sure of himself.
And this makes Edward reevaluate everything about his life.
This is a small movie, and I mean that as a compliment.
As of this writing, this film is currently streaming on MAX.
