Demi Moore gives the performance of her career as Elisabeth Sparkle, an 80sesque TV fitness instructor who, on her 50th birthday, is unceremoniously fired by her misogynistic boss, Harvey (Dennis Quaid).
At a loss over what to do next, Elisabeth is introduced to a mysterious drug, ‘The Substance’. A serum, when injected it forces Elisabeth to “birth” a younger, more-“perfect” version of herself.
The younger form, Sue (Margaret Qualley), seems like a separate person from Elisabeth, but the supplier insists they are “one”. There are rules, though: they must swap every seven days, one hidden away in a comatose state while the other is out living life.
The youthful Sue takes over Elisabeth’s old job and quickly finds success. All will work out, once they stick to those rules.
Going into The Substance, it’s advisable to acknowledge and understand that this is not based in the real world. There seems to be only one TV network and one boss of that TV network. The billboards for Sue’s fitness show don’t get into details such as a title or what channel it’s on. The mysterious people behind The Substance don’t even seem to seek any form of payment. Everything is heightened yet simplified, almost like a fairytale.
Accepting this prepares the viewer for the extreme places this film goes – this story is pushed to the Nth Degree. While The Substance‘s message is very real, plausibility is not a factor to consider. So sit back and enjoy the ride… you may need a sick bag.
Despite the heightened setting, we get a wonderfully real performance from Demi Moore as a star uncomfortable with ageing. A role like this could so easily be played for comedy, in a Death Becomes Her-type approach, but her portrayal garners sympathy from the viewer. It’s a raw performance, making it genuinely heart-wrenching to see Elisabeth’s anguish over her image and self-worth.
Meanwhile, Margaret Qualley’s bratty and hedonistic Sue radiates magnetic charisma and star power. Her extremely fast rise to fame is one of the more believable aspects of this tale.
This is not a film for everyone, but if you find yourself drawn to the unsettling nature of David Cronenberg-style body horror, enjoy the gooey inventiveness of John Carpenter’s The Thing and Brian Yuzna’s Society, or were affected by the tragedies of Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream, The Substance is for you.
It’s all of the above with a cheeky splash of Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls. Not that this is a Frankenstein’s monster of pre-existing cinema, far from it. The inspirations are clear, but The Substance emerges as a wholly original modern-day parable.
Darkly funny, intense, and extremely graphic, this is a shocking assault on the senses, in a good way – on second thoughts, in a masterful way.
Easily one of the most assured and powerful genre films of the year. Some of you will hate it, though.