The Substance review.
Two acts of an engaging showcase for its leads followed by absolute madness.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
The Substance
Directed by Coralie Fargeat
Written by Coralie Fargeat
Starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Hugo Diego Garcia, Alexandra Papoulias Barton and Oscar Lesage
The Substance Review
Did Demi Moore finish reading this script before signing on? That was the first thought I had as the unbelievable climax of The Substance played out before me. A climax, third act really, that goes harder, grosser, and wilder than anything you’ll see in theaters this year. Ok…I can’t prove that. Damien Leone has done some crazy things already with his Terrifier franchise. Invoking a series where Art the Clown cut a naked victim in half with a rusty saw proves my point though. Certain things are expected of an unrated slasher film. From a Demi Moore movie playing nationwide? Turns out…Yes. Oh my…yes.
Moore read the whole script, of course. The thought only popped up because my eyes couldn’t believe the commitment to the direction that The Substance ends up taking. She also absolutely destroys the role. Frankly, it’s the performance of her career. She plays Elisabeth Sparkle…an aging star shoved aside by the industry due to “aging out”. When she learns about a way to get it all back, Elisabeth signs up for a radical concept with just enough information to get by. After injecting herself with a serum…a younger version of herself violently emerges from her body.
There are some rules to follow. The most important of which is that she can only be the younger version of herself for 7 days at a time. There are dire consequences for breaking that rule. This isn’t a new person…they are the same. They share life. Whichever version is not active lays in a near comatose state…sustained by food packets provided by the company who created this experiment. Margaret Qualley plays the young Elisabeth. She goes by the name Sue as she returns to the career Elisabeth was tossed out of as the hot, new model that television is looking for.
The downfall should be clear from the set-up. If Elisabeth is willing to go to these lengths to experience half of the life she once had…how far will Sue go to keep it? What will she risk to hold onto it longer? The two leads are playing the same person and that person resents themselves. Sue hates having to give the reigns back to Elisabeth. Elisabeth grows to disdain Sue for how she treats her end of the bargain. It’s a bit of a mindfuck since these two women are the exact same person with the same experiences and memories. A forced split personality caused by wildly different ongoing experiences.
Moore is incredible here. The Substance is a great movie before it takes its insane turn. Moore’s performance is one of the reasons why. It’s darkly funny…eventually becoming grossly hilarious. It’s a high concept story with some gnarly body horror elements. The kind of movie David Cronenberg is going to kick himself for not thinking of first. Writer/director Coralie Fargeat did. And she hits a grand slam with it. It’s a stylish, humorous, disgustingly brilliant story that becomes something else entirely in its third act.
The Substance is a beautiful film that can be hard to watch in the best possible ways. As a character study…it’s wonderful. As a horror movie…it’s a wicked, blood-soaked romp. Demi Moore’s career best performance is worth the price of admission alone. Then the fun really starts. The Substance reaches a point where it must choose its final path forward. It picks the most gloriously absurd, thrilling, hilarious, unexpected and memorable one possible.
Some will hate it, of course. You can’t go as far as The Substance does without a section of people deeming it too coarse, too sick, to be taken seriously. It’s hard for pompous people to attribute the foolish “elevated horror” label to a movie like this. The Substance spits blood all over the concept. It doles out world class performances in a high-concept feminist body horror tale…and then shows the world that the grotesque, silly side of horror is just as good. Better, even. It looks those critics right in the eye and makes them watch the best over-the-top 80s style midnight movie you’ve never seen play out in all its gory, hilarious, unforgettable glory.
See The Substance in theaters. Preferably with a crowd. Definitely while sitting next to someone who loves horror. This is one of the year’s best films, with one of the year’s best performances. The it delivers one of the genre’s best third acts. A body horror classic that succeeds at everything it attempts to be. From thoughtful commentary on image to unrepentant gross-out horror comedy.
Scare Value
A positive buzz has surrounded The Substance since it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival back in May. The buzz undersold it. Demi Moore is extraordinary as the aging starlet who goes to extreme lengths to get back on top. Maragaret Qualley matches her energy as the newer model who will go even further to keep her spot. For two acts, The Substance is an engaging showcase for the two leads. Then the third act comes. The movie unleashes one of the wildest climaxes you’ll ever see in a mainstream theater. Seriously. You’ll question if this is really happening. You’ll wonder if the actors finished reading the script before signing on. Most of all, you’ll see one of the best endings of the year…attached to one of the best movies of the year.
4.5/5
The Substance Link
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