The Substance is viscerally unforgettable. Demi Moore & Margaret Qualley shine in Fargeat's body horror critique of beauty, aging and self-loathing.
The Substance is an oddity in the volume of films nominated for the Oscars. But like most horror movies to ever be recognized by the Oscars, genre is just a jumping-off point here too. A marketing strategy, if you may. This parable takes us through a range of emotions, including rage and disgust, unlike previous Oscar nominees. Good body-horror movies have been made in the past, but they have never been recognised by the Oscars. So, why The Substance? Well, cinema is evolving and Hollywood is taking note.
Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is about to be fired from her fitness themed TV show. Harvey, the show’s producer (Dennis Quaid, extra crazy and gross) delivers the message while gorging on shrimp like a feral animal. Elisabeth just turned 50 and that’s the end of the line, Harvey says. A devastated Elisabeth finds out about a procedure that can give her a different and younger version of herself. Hoping to live the life of her dreams, she orders the substance without the due diligence one does before buying a product.
The product shows up with simple but few instructions. A new version of Elisabeth will be born from her body, and each of them will live for 7 days sequentially. Enter Sue (played devilishly well by Margaret Qualley), Elisabeth’s younger and more breathtaking version. Coralie Fargeat (writer and director) presents the birthing process with meticulous, microscopic detail to drill in Elisabeth’s commitment to change and self-hatred. In the real world, people struggle to balance between self-growth and self-loathing, and Fargeat warns us of that in such fashion that the message is tattooed on our brain.
The entire movie has striking visuals as it pays homage to several horror genres but creates a distinct experience. In a way, Fargeat uses every cinematic tool at her disposal to reflect the horrors of society pointed at women. The visuals are so well organized that you can follow the story even with the sound off.
Despite the ludicrousness of the script, Moore’s Elisabeth is restrained. In her private moments too, she seldom loses her poise. One of the performance’s highlight is when Elisabeth sees Sue being interviewed on TV, joking at Elisabeth’s expense. Elisabeth’s inner demons are externalized as the story unfolds but Moore plays her respectably. This is Demi Moore like we’ve never seen before which says a lot given that her career spans over 40 years. In short, Moore has done a fine job and I look forward to a revitalized and exciting new chapter in her career. As Sue, Qualley embodies influencers that make a career out of their youth. The camera’s leer is so disgustingly objectifying towards Qualley as if her beauty is a secondary, unimportant component. The song-and-dance parts of the movie leave you with an empty feeling like when you eat an entire cake alone, in a dimly lit room.
At 2 hours and 21 minutes, The Substance is punishingly long. This is a director indulging themselves in their artistic vision with a decided disregard for the audience. Having said that, three quarters of the film did provide a riveting experience.
Elisabeth – ‘Yes, Hi. There has been a slight misuse of the substance.’