The Substance movie review: Demi Moore's film shows beauty comes at a heavy price

In 'The Substance', Demi Moore's character hears of a mysterious product, a black-marketed drug called The Substance, which creates a younger version of herself

Film: The Substance (playing on MUBI)
Cast: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Edward Hamilton-Clark, Gore Abrams, Christian Erickson, Robin Greer, Hugo Diego Garcia
Director: Coralie Fargeat
Rating: 3.5
Runtime: 141 min

Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance” is a macabre body horror satire that takes wounding hits at beauty standards governed by ‘viagra’ fortified men. Ironically, this film arrives at a time when the one-shot weight loss solution ‘Ozempic’ is in peak demand, and the storyline could well be an echo of what horrors could be in store for similar solution takers - of course, based on a very fertile imagination.  

The subject matter of the film is a ‘fountain of youth’ solution. Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) once dazzled audiences as an actress and fitness guru, but, like her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she has seen better days. After losing her job leading a fitness class for a daytime TV show because Harvey (Dennis Quaid) decides she needs to make room for someone younger, she goes down in the dumps.

Then she hears of a mysterious product, a black-marketed drug called The Substance, which creates a younger version of herself. The Substance comes with several rules and specifications. She can only activate her younger self once, and she and her perky alter ego are to switch off every seven days without exception. Both are supposed to be one - having the same consciousness, but Elisabeth and her younger self, Sue (Margaret Qualley) after continuing with The Substance, realise how difficult it is to maintain a grip on beauty without paying a heavy price for it. The obsessiveness regarding beauty is overwhelming.

Fargeat, who wrote and directed the film, makes the search for youth into a blood-and-fluid-drenched horror spectacle. What was meant to be a fresh new beginning ends up as a horrific experiment with unintended consequences. References from David Cronenberg’s films are obvious. Fargeat’s script, a winner at Cannes this year, is tight and has less than a handful of characters. Cinematographer Benjamin Kracun builds his visuals around a bright color palette, Emmanuelle Youchnovski’s costumes suit the characters, and the background compositions by Raffertie, help the narrative race up to an unexpected adrenaline gush. Fargeat basically uses revolting body horror trappings to critique the entertainment business. The film is brilliantly lit and looks amazing. Everything including the shot-taking, the editing, and production design are well thought out.

Fargeat’s visuals feel surreal with its ultra wide-angle shots, eye-popping close-ups and a vivid unreal color palette.

The Substance is an ambitious film but the ending fails to become resounding. Moore, Qualley and Quaid do their jobs well but the contrived end fails to provide a triumphant climax to an imaginatively constructed horror fantasy.

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