Ah, how far we’ll go for that renewed shot at stardom. Sure, there’s a sense of desperation in all of us as we strive to achieve our own “five minutes” of dreams. And yet it’s even more haunting when a once-famous person seeks to rekindle that flame. Cinema (onscreen and off) is rife with aging celebs going to great lengths to maintain a sense of relevancy amid the rising stars who are given the spotlight. There’s something inherently spooky and disturbing about this desperation, as seen in Sunset Boulevard and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? The more modern Black Swan took a similarly horror-inflected approach to the All About Eve theme of being replaced by a younger, more ‘beautiful’ person. But few if any films have taken such a radically nightmarish and horrific approach to this tale as The Substance.
A Glorious Experiment in Body Horror
Following in the footsteps of Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson, Demi Moore gives what’s arguably the performance of her career in The Substance as Elisabeth Sparkle, an aging TV icon who is swept aside by her network for someone younger and fresher. In this retro-future Hollywood she inhabits, how far is she willing to go to reinstate her once-prestigious name in the cultural lexicon?
From writer-director Coralie Fargeat (The Sandman), The Substance was quickly scooped up by MUBI for distribution after a wildly successful, award-winning premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival — and rightfully so. The big critic’s quotation across the film’s promotional poster reads, “Absolutely f***ing insane,” and after we witnessed the end result firsthand, dare we say that’s an understatement.
Brace yourselves for a glorious experiment in body horror where the scares serve a bigger satire about Hollywood and culture at large. It’s the rare prestige horror film, elevated by maximalist performances from Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid in his finest supporting role. It’s a wild ride, and we can’t say enough positive things about The Substance. But here are a few.
A Retro-Future Satire with Brilliant Visuals
With a Hollywood satire, why not kick things off with an elegant time-lapse montage centered solely on the coveted Walk of Fame? The fictitious Elisabeth has her own star that ultimately loses its “sparkle” over years of inadvertent abuse by negligent passers-by, a fitting metaphor for the public’s waning interest in renowned celebs as the years trickle on. The Substance is chock-full of similar visual motifs of various subtleties which all cleverly build on the narrative.
And speaking of visuals, the aesthetic of The Substance is oddly timeless (in a way that, again, speaks directly to the film’s themes). The glorious pastels that fill the screen — particularly the Kubrickian television studio that runs Elisabeth’s successful morning exercise show — may lead you to believe the film is set in the 1980s. But no, once you see folks like Elisabeth whip out their smartphones, you remember this is a statement on the modern times we live in, especially given the futuristic medical procedures that are being offered in this neat little Western universe.
Elisabeth may have already suspected she was slowly becoming irrelevant, but the nail in the coffin comes when she accidentally overhears her maniacally toxic network boss Harvey (Quaid) — because of course his name is Harvey — ranting about how they need the next young hot star ASAP instead of her. Soon, a car accident sends Elisabeth to the hospital, leading to a chance encounter with a mysterious nurse (Robin Greer) who hands her a referral number for someone who might be able to help with her so-called aging dilemma. Elisabeth might just have “the substance” to turn things around career-wise before she knows it…
Margaret Qualley Is Sublime in This Shockingly Explicit Movie
Enter Margaret Qualley as Sue, aka the younger Elisabeth, who gets rebirthed after her older self finally gives in to temptation and follows through with a certain experiment we won’t spoil here. The younger version doesn’t want to spill the beans to the public, of course, so she decides to become “Sue” from out of town, instantly garnering the liking and attention of the sexually charged Harvey and the network behind him. All that Sue and elder Elisabeth have to do is follow a few simple ground rules and safely alternate between their existences to keep their united being a healthy (and secret) entity. What could go wrong?
That’s when the body horror elements slowly creep their way into the picture, and the director has cited Cronenberg’s The Fly for inspiration. It’s plain to see why, as the eerie second act introduces some deliciously dark twists tied to dire medical repercussions if Elisabeth and co. don’t follow the rules exactly as they should. The shockingly explicit imagery might turn off some viewers — but you’ve probably heard the rumors about what’s coming with this stunner, so in theory, you’re well-prepared. Though little can prepare you for a showstopper of a climax that brings all the satirical beats to a bloody-disgusting head in a meta, head-spinning sort of way.
Qualley gives perhaps her juiciest turn to date, which is saying something considering how vulnerable and liberated she is as a performer. Stars at Noon, Sanctuary, Kinds of Kindness, and the HBO masterpiece The Leftovers have all proven her talents, and she has no reservations about incorporating her body into her performance in ways that may have once seemed provocative. She’s excellent here, perhaps satirizing her own Hollywood persona, but The Substance is, of course, Moore’s masterpiece.
Demi Moore’s Maximalist Masterpiece
Surprisingly, the most memorable scene doesn’t really have anything to do with body horror. It’s when an old classmate of Elisabeth’s asks her out, and the down-and-out Elisabeth decides she’ll finally take him up on his ambitious date-night offer. She dresses up, makeup and all, and is set to head out — but then doubles back to reapply those facial products she just doused herself with, unsure if she looks the dashing part. It’s a chilling mirror shot as she pummels her face with makeup again and again — and again, with this dialogue-free sequence speaking volumes about the state of beauty and youth in toxic climates.
There are plenty of other innovative moments throughout The Substance, many of which are broadcast with bold bravado. Some people may find the lack of subtlety here to be tacky, but consider what this film is about and in which world it’s set — this is Hollywood, baby. It’s all about the surface. It makes sense, then, that the film is as maximalist as it is. So do yourself a favor and don’t miss out on the theatrical experience. From MUBI, The Substance will be released in theaters on September 20.
