Is there anything more haunting than the realization that we are getting older and entering the twilight of our lives? What if there was a drug you could take that gave you the chance to start fresh in a new body? But even if you are the same person, what if you couldn’t control your new half and the new you wanted more than the balance of life needed to maintain both of your bodies? Welcome to The Substance.
Out of seemingly nowhere, The Substance was a breakout hit this year, telling the story of aging entertainment star Elisabeth Sparkle, played by Demi Moore. As her fitness show declines in the ratings and she is on the verge of being replaced, she finds out about this drug called The Substance that will create a younger version of herself. She takes it, creating Sue, played by Margaret Qualley. The two at first adhere to a balanced schedule of sharing life as only one can be conscious for a week at a time, but as Sue becomes a hit in Elisabeth’s place, the balance is no longer respected, and hell breaks loose between them.
Coralie Fargeat, inspired by societal pressures on women’s bodies and aging, wrote, directed, co-edited, and co-produced this movie. It faced some backlash with the ending from Universal Studios, but Fargeat stood strong with her vision, and the movie was sold to Mubi, where it exceeded everyone’s expectations at the box office and with its critical response, as it has been racking up nominations this awards season and landed Moore her first Golden Globe win.
Demi Moore comes out and delivers such a phenomenal performance, one I’m sure she was able to tap into her own life experiences. As an aging actress, the expectations of what she is supposed to look like and how she is supposed to present herself are completely unfair. Even taking out her age and social status, the way society casts off women who enter into the middle portion of their lives is disgusting, and it forces these women to either cave in or to try to push back and be scrutinized for it. We see it on the cesspool that the internet is becoming as people trying to be edgy or appeal to the “red-pill audience” make themselves feel better by belittling women. You can tell Moore is able to channel that anguish and that anger as she is belittled by the head of the network (played disgustingly well by Dennis Quaid) or when she stares at herself in the mirror before a date, and she finds a new flaw with her makeup and ultimately doesn’t go. In a very twisted way, Moore perfectly captures the way we can look in the mirror and hate the person looking back at us.
Margaret Qualley perfectly encapsulates the recklessness you’d expect someone would have with a second chance of being young again. She takes back the TV job, she parties, and ultimately, she does not respect the balance that allows her to be the way she is. Qualley is the bombshell that would still the hearts of men who would’ve loved Moore but now want the newer, “hotter” version. She does a lot to distinguish Sue from Elisabeth which makes them feel like two new people instead of two halves of Elisabeth.
As I was saying before about Fargeat, she was inspired by the increasing societal pressures on women as they age. In her sophomore hit after the revenge flick, aptly named Revenge, it is clear she is immensely gifted at portraying women’s struggles on screen. Her vision for The Substance, particularly for the very final scenes, is so metal and visceral, I loved it so much.
The body horror in this movie is something that I think David Cronenberg would be proud of. The makeup and practical effects of having an adult split out of another are disgustingly beautiful. There were multiple scenes where I had to look away because it was getting too much for me and I was getting squeamish. The ending is the perfect encapsulation of this with Monstro Elisasue, who I won’t describe anymore and you need to see for yourself. For the horror fans who like their movies bloody, this one abides.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Substance is one of the best horror movies of the year. It blends body horror with the real-life struggles of a woman aging out of her prime and trying to recapture her youth. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley give award-winning caliber performances, with Coralie Fargeat writing and directing this unique masterpiece. This movie is one in a million and it’s one you should check out now.