The Substance
The Substance
Starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Gore Abrams
Directed by Coralie Fargeat
Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is an Oscar-winning actress with a star on the Walk of Fame, that's now relegated to starring in workout videos. Her star-studded career long over, she's given the fatal blow by her gross director Harvey (Dennis Quad) that she's being let go in favor of someone younger and hotter. Faced with depression, she comes across a serum known as The Substance that will give her a more perfect, younger version of herself. She takes the drug and Sue (Margaret Qualley) is born out of her - both being the same person, but different bodies. The rule is simple: each woman has seven days to live her life before switching back to the other, and nothing can come into conflict with that.
Sue begins enjoying her life, getting the job that Elisabeth was fired from, and being able to enjoy a life filled with glamor, attention, and fame. Elisabeth sinks into deeper depression, hating her younger self for living the life she wants, and the two come to odds with Sue desiring to spend more time as herself and keeping Elisabeth's body locked away. As she disregards the rules, it has a negative effect on Elisabeth, and ultimately it could cost them both their life.
Director Coralie Fargeat is no stranger to the topic of femininity, as her stellar 2018 revenge horror flick "Revenge" proved. Now with "The Substance," she once again elevates the importance of femininity and female empowerment in an otherwise male-dominated world, as seen through the eyes of an aging actress. While in Hollywood strong roles are still given to men over the age of 50, women are given less exciting roles, relegating them to a new subgenre of film that includes the likes of "Book Club" and "80 for Brady" which features these once-powerful women relegated to buddy comedies that are lackluster at best and terrible at worst.
This concept is nothing new in Hollywood, and "The Substance" points this out with powerful aplomb. It sheds light on this double standard and shows how it affects a person's fractured psyche in the character of Elisabeth Sparkle (who's last name is no coincidence, as she once sparkled on the big screen but that sparkle as diminished through the years). Demi Moore gives a commanding, powerful, and deeply personal performance as she lets loose and allows Elisabeth to shine through her. It's also probably close to the actresses' heart as she too is a woman of a certain age that hasn't done much in Hollywood recently, considering her earlier string of successes such as "Ghost," "Striptease" and "A Few Good Men."
While not at all a shrinking flower, Moore plays Elisabeth as an actress like that, facing the ravages of age and how it keeps her away from lucrative work. It's powerful and downright heartbreaking to see the toll it's taken on her life, especially in one emotional scene where she's about to go on a date and continually looks at herself in the mirror, and the obvious self-hate is evident.
Margaret Qualley has had a great year, starring in the acclaimed "Drive-Away Dolls" and a strong supporting role in "Kinds of Kindness," and she continues her upward trajectory here as Sue, the younger version of Elisabeth. She is ogled for her beauty, and is given every opportunity that Elisabeth strives for, even taking her old job from her. She uses her sexuality to her advantage, and in doing so achieves everything she could dream of - which of course makes it difficult for her to switch back to Elisabeth, especially how Elisabeth appears to self-sabotage her at every turn. This is where the script kind of becomes predictable, as you know the "seven days" rule won't be followed once Sue gets a taste of the better life, but that doesn't stop the film from achieving its ultimate goal.
Rounding out the trifecta of performances is Dennis Quaid, who has shed his good guy persona and has tackled one of the meatier roles of his career as the sexist creep Harvey. He ogles women, desires for them to be young and attractive, and comes across as the ultimate sleaze. It adds to the fact that he's filmed with a fish-eye lens that makes him even more gross, especially a scene in a bathroom and very especially when he's firing Elisabeth while eating shrimp. It's a disgusting role and Quaid pulls out all the punches, and in the end he turns out to be Victor Frankenstein showing off his Frankenstein to the world.
That comes in the form of another of the film's strong suits, which is the daring practical effects. It's gory, it's insane, and it's downright unforgettable - and hopefully will receive some well-deserved recognition come awards season, but considering the matter of the film, I doubt it. Without giving the ending away, the effects have to be seen to believed, and really gives birth to the concept of a creature that was crafted solely for the purpose of visual gratification, and the ramifications of that product.
The visuals of the film are striking as well, as cinematographer Benjamin Kracun takes obvious inspiration from classic films such as "2001: A Space Odyssey" (down to the musical score, as well as the very sterile room where Elisabeth picks up her serum) and "The Shining" (with the extremely long, extremely orange hallway with the Overlook-inspired carpet). It's dazzling and beautiful to behold, and when you add the unique costume designs of Emmanuelle Youchnovski (like Elisabeth's iconic yellow jacket or Sue's 80's style fashion) and you've got a film that's a feast for the eyes - as long as you eat beforehand.
While it's not as gross and intense as I wanted it to be, "The Substance" is still a powerful film that shows Hollywood's lack of respect for older actresses, and revealing the monster it creates because of it.
The Score: A+
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