Oh. My. God. Many films have been described as “jaw-dropping” at one point or another. But rare movies have actually made my mouth hang agape for 30 minutes straight. That’s what you’re in for with The Substance, a body horror thriller from MUBI. The film stars Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle, a former movie star whose career has declined over the years. When she is fired from her TV aerobics job, she begins to take a substance that will create a younger, sexier version of herself so that she can reach the top once again. It’s a movie premise that’s so brilliant and lends itself so perfectly to horror that I wish I came up with it.
The Substance is absolutely brilliant. It’s a show-stopping examination of an industry that has been historically unkind to aging women, all told with impeccable style and ferocious horror. This film blew me away with its storytelling. The opening shot is so simple and effective. It tells us everything we need to know about our main character without the camera moving at all. We quickly and efficiently learn how Elisabeth was once a wildly successful movie star who has faded from relevance. Her stardom has deteriorated as she grew older, and with that, we have a character we can instantly sympathize with.
Moore does a fantastic job of portraying this character. It feels as if there is a lot of personal experience she can bring to Elisabeth. She was one of the biggest, most bankable stars of the 1980s and 1990s and was Hollywood’s highest-paid actress at one point. Around the mid-90s, Hollywood appeared to give her fewer high-profile roles, and while she has continued to act, her success never reached its peak. The Substance shows that Moore should have stayed at the top for her whole career. She is magnificent, bringing in a fantastic presence that you won’t be able to take your eyes away from.
The film is very upfront about its themes about how Hollywood devalues women once they reach a certain age. We have former movie stars like Meg Ryan and Sharon Stone who can likely attest to how the industry turned its back on them after a while. Dennis Quaid appears in the film as a cartoonishly disgusting character who serves as the most prominent mouthpiece for these uncomfortable ideas. In any other movie, it would be disconcerting for a character to state the themes with so little subtlety, but it’s entirely believable that people like this exist in real life.
Writer/director Coralie Fargeat does magnificent work here. She has such a strong visual eye, bringing in style while never feeling like she is serving herself rather than the story. She is entirely committed to bringing this story to life in a way that makes crystal clear sense for everyone, despite how surreal everything gets as it goes on. It’s a risky, bold movie that does not shy away from uncomfortable imagery and ideas that not everyone is willing to face head-on. The production design is a shining element. It feels like the perfect mishmash of new and old, which is an idea that matches the premise perfectly.
The camera often gets a little too close for comfort, lending to the in-your-face nature of the film. It’s not devoid of humor, often having some fun with this insanity. Don’t forget, this is a body horror movie that fully commits to the premise. The Substance is not for the squeamish or faint of heart. It’s the type of movie that shocks you with its imagery, but it’s not just pure shock value. There is so much this film wants to say, and the horror is the perfect vessel for the film’s themes.
The younger version of Elisabeth is her alter ego named Sue, portrayed by Margaret Qualley. Qualley does a fantastic job as this character who quickly becomes the talk of the town. She’s the gorgeous it girl that everyone in Hollywood is going crazy for. It takes a while for the film to feature any body horror, but it doesn’t matter because the story is absolutely splendid. It’s a deranged, vile film about self-acceptance and it never lets you down.
One of the best scenes in The Substance does not have any body horror at all. It is a scene where Elisabeth is putting on makeup and getting ready for a date. Through her actions, we see just how insecure she is and how society has reinforced all of these insecurities in her as she grew older. She becomes a victim of her own anxiety, and it’s heartbreaking to watch. Fargeat is a tour de force, directing the most disturbing movie of the year. I don’t scare easily with horror, and there were moments when I was covering my eyes because I couldn’t dare to look at the screen. My mind was blown. This film fully commits to its premise and over-delivers in the final act. You can’t miss it. Try The Substance.
SCORE: 10/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 10 equates to “Masterpiece.” This is the rare release that transcends genre and must be experienced by all fans of the medium.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our The Substance review.
