Struggling actor Edward Lemuel (Sebastian Stan) has a genetic condition which causes tumors to grow all over his face; after an experimental medical treatment, he goes through a painful transformation, physically and mentally.

In his wider breakthrough, Aaron Schimberg returns to a familiar theme, facial disfigurement, and finds a good role for Adam Pearson as a charming Brit who handles his condition much more successfully than Edward, a fact that shows him and us why what’s on the inside will always matter more.

No surprise there, but the story itself is original, crafted with a dark sense of humor and anchored by Stan’s superior performance.

2024-U.S. 112 min. Color. Written and directed by Aaron Schimberg. Music: Umberto Smerilli. Cast: Sebastian Stan (Edward Lemuel/Guy Moratz), Renate Reinsve (Ingrid Vold), Adam Pearson (Oswald), C. Mason Wells, Owen Kline, Charlie Korsmo. 

Trivia: Co-executive produced by Schimberg and Stan. Michael Shannon appears as himself.

Berlin: Best Leading Performance (Stan).

Last word: “A lot of people have suggested, ‘Well, the film is really [saying], ‘Just be yourself’; ‘If only Edward would have accepted himself.’ That question is raised in the film, but I don’t think it comes to that conclusion. There’s not a moral lesson there. I don’t judge Edward if he’s not able to accept himself – it’s very hard to accept yourself, for anybody. I haven’t accepted myself. I’m always coming up short in any number of ways. Edward may be looking at Oswald, thinking, ‘How, how is he able to do it?’ but we don’t know what Oswald is thinking.” (Schimberg, MUBI)