The Substance

The Substance delivers an intense, visually mesmerizing commentary on the entertainment industry's obsession with youth and outward beauty. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley offer remarkable, maybe even career-best performances, with Dennis Quaid excelling in his role as well. Coralie Fargeat explores how aging stars, particularly women, are discarded when they no longer meet the industry's strict beauty standards. Moore's character, haunted by the memory of her former fame and beauty, goes down a dark path in pursuit of a "better" version of herself. The story is also a sharp critique of power …

good.film

2024-09-23

For a film that’s laser-focused on the human body, it’s gloriously on point that THE SUBSTANCE begins with a freshly cracked, bright yellow egg yolk. Eggs are the ‘giver of life’, right? They’re the origin of all of us. Gleaming and plump, the yolk suddenly gets pricked – not by a fork, but a syringe. That’s the first juicy visual metaphor of many in this meaningfully bonkers body horror, for which French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat picked up the prestigious Best Screenplay prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. To call the film ‘bold’ is a weapons-grade understatement. It’s an aud…

griggs79

2024-09-26

⭐ 10

Demi Moore's performance in The Substance is so potent that it's hard to tell what's more intoxicating; her inevitable Best Actress win or Coralie Fargeat's razor-sharp screenplay that's already got the Oscar in the bag.

There’s a big difference between being funny and being laughable, yet the latest from writer-director Coralie Fargeat has somehow found a way to be both. After amassing a considerable amount of largely well-earned cinematic goodwill in the film’s opening segments, the picture mercilessly squanders that support in the final act with an overlong, meandering, disgustingly gratuitous and grotesque exhibition of utterly bad taste. This story of an aging actress (Demi Moore) who seeks to revive her career by retrieving some of her lost youth with the aid of an enigmatic injectable follows her grand …

CinemaSerf

2024-09-28

⭐ 7

This takes a logical step on from Coralie Fargeat's earlier "Reality+" (2014) drama, only this time it takes a much more substantial swipe at all things vain. "Elisabeth" (Demi Moore) has been at the top of her fitness game for many a year when her boss "Harvey" (Dennis Quaid) decides that she's now too old and that a younger model is needed to present those programmes we all saw on the television of gorgeous, fit and healthy, people showing us how to exercise on a mat in from of our televisions each morning. Distracted by her imminent removal, she is involved in a car accident that introduces…

r96sk

2024-10-10

⭐ 9

Certainly an experience! <em>'The Substance'</em> is <b>a lot</b>. It's one of those sorta movies that I needed to let settle in my mind before I even started to think about reviewing it. I'm not even sure where to start. It's insane from pretty much the beginning to the very end of its 140 minute run time, some scenes are particularly rough to watch unfold! I think the only body horror flick I've seen up until this point is David Cronenberg's <em>'Crimes of the Future'</em> from 2022, which I found to be solid enough but it came across, at least to me, as a bit too forced for shock valu…

I love French comedic films, and this one is no different. Coralie Fargeat crafted a seemingly simple story on the subject of Hollywood's obsession with youth and beauty, and then directed it right into the status of cult, horror, midnight, grade B (the good kind) movie genre. Brilliant! While on the face, this movie is about aging out of Hollywood's graces, the script is also laced with interesting subplots: having a proxy that ages for you a la Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray, and the subject of shallow self-hate and self-love, along with that "needy for applause" character that so many actors …

VicSur

2024-11-15

⭐ 9

**The Substance (2024)** A Visceral Exploration of Youth Obsession and the Fear of Time "The Substance" is a bold cinematic experience that masterfully resurrects the practical effects of 1980s horror, delivering a visual and auditory feast that is both nostalgic and groundbreaking. Directed with a keen eye for detail, the film delves deep into society's obsession with youth and the inevitable passage of time, offering a thought-provoking commentary wrapped in visceral horror. The film follows a renowned actress, portrayed by Demi Moore, who grapples with the fear of aging and losing her …

"The Substance" is something of a cinematic mash up. First off, this story is somewhat reminiscent of "Death Becomes Her". The 1992 film starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. The notion of the fatal conceit in the search for eternal youth amongst the ageing Hollywood set is very much central to the story in both films. That said, the handling is distinctly different. This film is a lot louder, gaudier, brasher, cruder and ruder, than its 90's counterpart by a country mile. There are elements I'd typically associate with Lovecraft too, that are grotesque, monstrous an…

A disaster. It's an insult to the illustrious careers of Demi Moore and Dennis Quaid, who both deserve far better. The film focuses too heavily on the body of Margaret Qualley's character, Sue, at the expense of delivering a meaningful story or message. The gratuitous gore towards the end seems to be an attempt to align with current trends, but it falls flat. Ultimately, Coralie Fargeat failed to deliver a coherent message, making the movie a missed opportunity for everyone involved.

I’m into strange films, psychological elements, dramas, and gore, but this movie is complete garbage.

Grotesque, diving into the pitfalls of progress and the human obsession with perfection. Visually, it’s remarkable — its uncanny imagery often leaves you questioning whether you’re thrilled or disturbed. However, while it’s bold and at times deeply unsettling, it doesn’t quite achieve that elusive "perfectly balanced (as all things should be, cit.)" quality. The narrative occasionally stumbles, with gaps that detract from its overall impact. It’s thought-provoking but not groundbreaking — a film that’s above average, yet just shy of excellence. And I like to imagine that the director s…

_The Substance_ swings hard for shock value but lands in a muddled heap. The film’s body‑horror excess quickly turns repetitive, and the social commentary feels so surface-level that it smothers any nuance the story might have had. Despite a committed lead performance, the pacing is sluggish, the tone wobbles between satire and chaos, and the final act spirals into noise rather than meaning. It’s a visually bold misfire that never finds a coherent point.