There is nothing quite like The Substance right now. It’s unsubtle, it’s provocative, and its satirical humor can be a hit or miss for some viewers, but it strikes at the one thing that’s fundamental to everyone, that can make or break their lives, yet that is rarely given grace and consideration– that is the body. Legions of people have yearned for youth and beauty, but The Substance systematically outlines how much these have been intertwined with our livelihoods, opportunities, and identities, and how other entities would capitalize on this yearning and push many of us to take that out, suck that out, literally, from ourselves. The Substance does this all with insane, frenetic energy.
"For my money, one of the best things you can do this season is to run to see the French director Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance while it is still playing on the big screen."
— Rachel Syme
"If Fargeat hopes to condemn any institution or social framework, we, too, are denied the pleasure of seeing women as anything more than what they represent for those forces."
— Kelli Weston
A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.
On her 50th birthday, fading Hollywood movie star Elisabeth Sparkle is let go from the aerobics show she hosts, leading her to take a black-market serum injection that promises a younger, better version of herself.
As much as the prosthetic work was incredible, honestly, what stood out to me the most was Demi Moore in a lead role again. She killed it with her performance.
If you can’t handle me at my Monstra ElisaSue, you don’t deserve me at my young Elisabeth!!!
Oscars
1 win, 4 nominations
Cannes
1 win
Golden Globes
1 win, 4 nominations
BAFTA
1 win, 4 nominations
SAG Awards
1 win
Spirit Awards
2 nominations
European Film Awards
2 nominations
César Awards
1 nomination
One the worst movies I’ve seen in a while. Script is obvious, boring, and filled with cliches about old age, irrelevance, feelings of inadequacy, basic social critique, lame parody and so on. Tries to make an impact with unnecessary gore in a “Tarantinesque” way but does so in such an unskillful way that it ends up being just gross. The bare bones script is just insipid. Nice photography and interesting color paelette. I leave this movie non the wiser aboue ageing, egocentrism, social idolatry of youth. Not enough food for thought. Also, some pretended references or “homages” to old classics seems farfetched…
I enjoyed The Substance – especially Moore’s performance and the stylish progression of the first two acts – but it left me with an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach. I believe the director’s intention was to turn the camera back onto the audience and make them reflect on their own complicity in the grotesque obsession with youth and physical perfection.
New gen film – Vomitive. Must have some issue with brain to like this movie.