“The Substance” might seem like just another gory body-horror flick at first glance, but it’s a much deeper, self-aware film that dives into feminist themes about aging and the obsession with youth. Directed by Coralie Fargeat—whose first film, “Revenge,” was critically acclaimed—it’s a graphic cautionary tale that explores what happens when the pursuit of beauty goes too far.
The story revolves around Elisabeth Sparkle, a famous actress and fitness icon played by Demi Moore, who’s celebrating her 50th birthday. Despite her success and popularity, Elisabeth gets blindsided when her sleazy boss, Harvey (played by Dennis Quaid), fires her. Devastated and desperate to stay relevant, she stumbles upon a mysterious black-market drug called “The Substance,” which promises to restore her youth—at a price.
Soon, Elisabeth begins transforming into her younger self, embodied by the lively and seductive Sue, portrayed by Margaret Qualley. But the new Sue isn’t just a rejuvenated version of Elisabeth. She’s a separate, powerful persona who has her own ambitions and desires, creating a dangerous rivalry between the two. Both women have to stick to strict rules set by the shadowy company behind the drug, but that fragile order quickly spirals into chaos.
Without giving too much away, the film takes a wild, darkly comedic turn as Elisabeth fights to keep her place at the top, while Sue becomes addicted to the attention and admiration her youthful appearance brings. Their struggle leads to a bloody and intense showdown that pushes the film’s themes to their extreme.
Director Coralie Fargeat drew inspiration from her own experiences of feeling undervalued as she got older, and she wanted to capture the intense pressure society places on women to stay youthful. As Fargeat explained in an interview, she started having intense fears about losing her worth as she approached her 40s. “I wanted the movie to show the violence of those thoughts and the ways women are conditioned to feel invisible as they age,” she said.
Demi Moore, who has faced similar pressures throughout her career, echoed these sentiments. She opened up about the extremes she went to maintain her appearance when younger. “I remember being told to lose weight for roles,” she shared. “But the real damage was what I did to myself, obsessing over my body and letting other people’s opinions define my value.”
The movie’s commentary on the price of beauty is similar to classics like “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and “Death Becomes Her,” but its body horror elements give it a fresh, modern twist. The use of injections and drastic physical changes also draws parallels to current trends like Ozempic and the obsession with quick fixes.
Ultimately, “The Substance” is about more than just staying youthful. It’s a brutal exploration of how society and Hollywood pressure women to fight for relevance as they age, while also showing how these insecurities can lead women to become their own worst enemies. As Elisabeth and Sue’s battle comes to a head, the film starkly highlights the internal conflicts many women experience, where that relentless inner voice keeps whispering, “You’re not good enough, not pretty enough, not young enough.”
Despite its dark themes, the film received widespread acclaim, especially for its screenplay, which won the Best Screenplay Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Its unique blend of horror, satire, and social commentary makes “The Substance” stand out as a thought-provoking take on the pursuit of eternal youth.
