When celebrity television fitness coach Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) turns 50, she is cruelly discarded by the network, forcing her to take extreme measures to preserve her youth.
Turning to a black market cell-replicating substance that literally creates a temporary younger version of herself, Elisabeth finds a new lease of life, regaining her old job and wowing the viewing public with a new prime time fitness show.
The procedure, however, comes with a set of rules that must not be broken.
Elisabeth, or Sue as she calls her younger self, must switch back to her older body every seven days without fail. But as her renewed fame propels her towards super-stardom the desire to ignore the rules becomes stronger, resulting in rather severe consequences.
The second feature from French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat who’s first, 2018’s brutal survival flick Revenge, won a number of independent film awards, will likely be in the running for more accolades with this fantastically subversive body horror.
Demi Moore, in her first leading role for close to 10 years, delivers a fearlessly unabashed performance as Elisabeth Sparkle. Her desperate quest to regain her youth as the work begins to dry up is something that’s still all too commonplace in a misogynistic world.
Co-lead Margaret Qualley is excellently cast and equally courageous as Sue, Elisabeth’s younger self, who finds herself propelled to TV fame by her sleazy chauvinistic boss Harvey, superbly played by Denis Quaid in ridiculously over the top style. The characters name a knowing nod to the notorious and now incarcerated real life Hollywood producer.
While the films’ themes of vanity and misogyny are not subtle, they are incredibly compelling. You know it’ll end in tears, but watching Elisabeth take her addiction to cosmetic surgery to scary new levels is completely enthralling.
Fargeat takes clear inspiration from the work of David Cronenberg and ramps the body horror elements up spectacularly in the final third.
Gory and grotesque in places, the film tackles the body objectification and fading stardom of its heroine head on.
With eye catching performances from its two leads, The Substance is as subtle as a sledge hammer, but just as effective.
While it won’t be for everyone, fans of the genre and those open minded enough to give it a go, will discover an insanely entertaining satirical horror.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Paul Steward
X @grittster
10/11/24