The Substance is a 2024 body horror film directed by Coralie Fargeat, and the cast includes Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid and Margaret Qualley,
Finally, I got to watch The Substance, a film that has been getting rave reviews and released some of the coolest posters ever.
I went in with high expectations, which normally means I will be let down in some way, I am looking at you LongLegs, but The Substance was as good as I had been hearing I am happy to say.
It didn't get a 12 minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival for nothing.
In the movie, we have Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), renowned for an aerobics show, but faces a devastating blow on her 50th birthday as her boss fires her.
Amid her distress, a laboratory offers her a substance which promises to transform her into an enhanced version of herself.
Firstly, The Substance isn’t a scary movie in the traditional sense, but it will make you feel uneasy, and despite it being labelled as a horror, it doesn't really fit into one genre.
It starts as one thing and turns into something else as we focus on Elisabeth, played by Demi Moore and her performance is fantastic as we see her vulnerability and depth shine through .
Beneath the surface, it explores some deep themes including loneliness, and fear and the films boldness shines through.
The film is body horror madness at its best.
It's a sharp and spot-on satire of Hollywood's obsession with beauty, and the tone shifts wildly, but it's always controlled.
One minute it’s intense and unsettling, the next, you’re laughing, and just as you're laughing, something shocking then happens, but the film's bizarre, fantastical style keeps you hooked.
This film also deals with a deep sense of anger and frustration as it highlights the unfair way society pressures women to dislike their own bodies and feel the need to constantly look younger.
It explores how women are often made to feel that their natural aging process is something to be ashamed of, leading them to go to extreme lengths to try to maintain a youthful appearance.
As said above, Demi Moore really shines in the film, an actress who seems to have fallen off the radar a bit in recent times, and someone who just seemed perfect for this role in so many ways and she nails the performance in every way.
Demi Moore is back, baby.
Directed by Coralie Fargeat, and her direction is full of intention and art, and the environmental aspect of the film is pretty stunning and colorful and a delight to watch.
Revealing much more about the film would ruin the surprises in store for you, as just when you think The Substance has peaked, it goes even further, getting bigger and bolder and more intense and intentional, by the end of the film you need to take a deep breath and let it all sink in.
And then go and watch it all over again.
I would rate this film 86% on my horror movie nerd-o-meter.
[The Substance on IMDB] [Where to watch The Substance]
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