Review: The Substance

Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself?

After all the hype on the internet about this movie, I finally went to watch it myself. Fair to say, I was absolutely grossed out—but it also left me with a lot to think about.

The Substance, written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, is a modern body horror starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. It tells the story of Elizabeth Sparkle, an once-famous Hollywood star who is fired from her job on her 50th birthday due to her age and society's impossible beauty standards. Her TV show's executive producer, Harvey (played by Dennis Quaid), declares she has "lost her beauty" and is no longer considered desirable.

Completely devastated, Elizabeth stumbles upon a mysterious product called The Substance, which promises to create a "better" version of yourself. This could be her chance to work in the industry again, as a younger, hotter, and more "perfect" version of herself. However, the product comes with strict rules: Elizabeth can only activate her better self once, and the two must alternate identities every seven days without any exceptions.

At first, Elizabeth and her better version, Sue embrace the arrangement, reveling in the newfound success of Sue as the fresh face of the TV show. But it doesn’t take long for things to spiral out of control when they both begin to experience the terrifying side effects of not respecting the balance.

There’s a lot happening in this movie that made me close my eyes. I’m not a huge fan of gore but I have to admit, the first activation was my favorite part. It was absolutely disgusting, but at the same time, incredibly creative. The way they depicted Elizabeth’s “better version” literally crawling out of her was both grotesque and fascinating.

However, I felt the last 30 minutes could have been handled differently. While I understand how it ties into the film’s message, it became overwhelming. There was just so much gore that I had to close my eyes and even cover my ears for a solid 10 minutes.

That said, the meaning behind The Substance is undoubtedly a 10/10. The metaphor for the relentless struggle women face to meet beauty standards, especially as they age, is powerfully conveyed. Coralie Fargeat doesn’t shy away from showing the harsh reality of a society that conditions women to obsess over youth and beauty, to the point of self-destruction. It’s a haunting reflection of the pressures placed on women, particularly in the entertainment industry, and the film captures that with brutal honesty.

Overall, I think The Substance is a good movie with a strong message, elevated by amazing performances from Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. Despite being probably the grossest movie I’ve seen this year, it’s also a real eye-opener. The performances, cinematography, and music all come together beautifully to support the film’s powerful theme.

That said, as someone who isn’t a fan of gore, the excessive blood and body horror, especially toward the end, was tough to sit through. I also felt the finale was a bit rushed and could have been handled more thoughtfully. Because of that, I’d rate it 3.5 stars. It’s a film that’ll definitely leave you thinking, but it’s not for the faint-hearted!

The Substance is out now in theaters!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNlrGhBpYjc