Youth is a hot commodity in Hollywood. Once you lose it, you can never get it back. Everyone ages, of course, but if you’re a fading A-List celebrity, one forehead wrinkle can be the difference between bankable and broke. In the erotically-charged body horror film, The Substance, French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat explores the toxic repercussions of ageism and body image. Bordering on fetishism when it comes to the film industry’s obsession with beauty, Fargeat’s latest work takes a stand against this demoralizing, anti-feminist treatment of women’s bodies. In the ultimate power move, The Substance is a graphic and gory cinematic rallying cry that aims to upend the effects of toxic beauty culture.

Comparison is the Thief of Happiness

Demi Moore plays Elizabeth Sparkle, a Jane Fonda-type who has made a career for herself as an actor-turned-fitness personality. Despite having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and her own aerobic morning show, Elizabeth knows her time in the spotlight is running out. She sees her life begin to play out in the past tense, picking up on the not-so-subtle cues from her boss, Harvey (Dennis Quaid), like “you were great”. Despite her legendary status in the industry, she can’t avoid the inevitable. She will be aged out of Hollywood. If becoming old makes one invisible, regaining youth is the only way to feel desired. Luckily, there’s a drug for that.

Watch The Substance trailer here.

A chance encounter leads Elizabeth to discover a miracle drug that claims to be the fountain of youth. One injection of “the substance” is all it takes for her to become reborn as the gorgeous, twenty-something Sue (Margaret Qualley). Blinded by this promise of a younger self, Elizabeth acquires and injects the neon-green liquid into her body. After a demonic exorcism-like process, Sue is born and she is beautiful. Her long limbs, silky hair, and clear porcelain skin stand in stark contrast to Elizabeth’s aging body.

Taking the substance comes with a non-negotiable rule: Remember, you are one. Therefore, the time between Elizabeth and Sue needs to be split equally. For one week, the world gets Elizabeth, the next week they get Sue. While the women take turns as sentient beings, their counterpart lays unconscious on the bathroom floor, being fed through a tube until it’s time to wake up. Things go according to plan, in the beginning at least. Both Elizabeth and Sue are respectful of the schedule and Sue quickly becomes Hollywood’s budding darling. The divide between Elizabeth’s hopelessness and resentment and Sue’s optimism and success escalates, eventually reaching a breaking point. What follows is a multi-sensory monstrosity as both women battle to break free from their repression and regain control of their womanhood.

A Visionary Feat, On-Screen and Off

Behind the riotous visual elements of The Substance, director Coralie Fargeat crafts a deeply personal message that resonates. It is depressing to see a woman, as beautiful as Demi Moore, give up on her life all because she is getting older. The film is satirical and unhinged in its exploration of this theme, yet I couldn’t help but still feel a sadness toward women who feel ashamed of their bodies in this way. Portraying Elizabeth Sparkle is Demi Moore’s latest crowning achievement. Her theatrical skills and comedic timing are on full display and are especially mesmerizing toward the film’s second half. Margaret Qualley as Sue is another perfect casting choice. Her shift from a Bambi-like demeanor to a greedy it-girl is methodical and devilishly fun to watch.

Amplifying the onscreen visuals are a pitch-perfect score and sound design. What starts as slightly campy in tone, the sound eventually morphs into a hypnotic and brutal sonic experience. ASMR tingles, especially at the very beginning of the film, add another layer of full-body chills.

Takeaway

As the credits rolled after nearly two and a half hours, my jaw was practically on the floor. What had I just witnessed?! The last time I had a similar reaction was when I saw Titane, the provocative body horror film by Julia Ducournau (and, ironically, another French filmmaker). With The Substance, Coralie Fargeat cements herself as a new visionary and bold voice in modern cinema. The Substance is defiant, deranged, and demonic… and I loved every bloody second of it. It is the most fun I’ve had watching a movie all year!