Content Advisory: Self-injurious behavior, Excessive or gratuitous violence, Graphic sexuality or pornography
A has-been actress uses an experimental drug to become a better version of herself in The Substance. Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is a once-popular actress now reduced to hosting the aerobics program Sparkle Your Life. However, Elisabeth ends up being fired, on her birthday, by her chauvinistic boss Harvey (Dennis Quaid), who begins looking for a younger replacement. Desperate, Elisabeth joins an experimental cloning program, where she injects herself with “The Substance,” resulting in the creation of the much younger and beautiful Sue (Margaret Qualley). Sue can stay dominant for 7-days, staying alive with daily spinal taps. However, soon enough the balance begins to be disrupted.
The Substance Synopsis
The Substance is a satirical body horror film written and directed by Coralie Fargeat (Revenge). The film stars Demi Moore as faded actress Elizabeth Sparkle, who creates the younger clone Sue, played by Margaret Qualley (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Sanctuary, Kinds of Kindness). Sue quickly becomes the next big thing and it isn’t long until her boss Harvey, a grotesque spoof of Harvey Weinstein played by Dennis Quaid, pegs her to host the New Year’s Eve show. This results in Sue taking more from Elizabeth than is allowed, resulting in the latter having to face the consequences.
My Thoughts on The Substance
The Substance is a quite biting satire that deals with the literal horrors of aging and the very unrealistic beauty standards in Hollywood. Coralie Fargeat visualizes this by depicting Demi Moore’s Elizabeth Sparkle in an increasingly unflattering light, while Margaret Qualley’s Sue plays up the hyper-sexualized young beauties that Hollywood is obsessed with. This all builds up to an insane, and immensely bloody, body horror climax that continues Coralie Fargeat’s rise as one of today’s best up-and-coming horror directors.