Directed by: Coralie Fargeat
Starring: Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid, Margaret Qualley
Anticipation: Body horror with a Hollywood twist? Count me in!
Enjoyment: Places the responsibility for unattainable beauty standards squarely on women.
In Retrospect: A bitter, unkind film that offers little in terms of originality.
Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance positions itself as a satire on Hollywood’s unrealistic beauty standards for women, yet ultimately devolves into a harsh and unappealing indictment of those who engage with the industry.
It’s well-known that women face far stricter expectations than men—this is particularly true in Hollywood, where aging, weight gain, or failing to meet narrow beauty ideals can lead to marginalization. Many films have explored this theme—Sunset Boulevard, All About Eve, Black Swan, Inland Empire, and The Neon Demon, among others. With so many existing works on this topic, filmmakers must present a unique angle to make an impact.
To her credit, Fargeat introduces a compelling premise: Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), an aging celebrity fitness instructor, decides to undergo a mysterious medical procedure after losing her job due to her age. This procedure, known as The Substance, promises to create “a better version of yourself.” After receiving a dubious package, Elisabeth injects herself with a strange yellow liquid, and from an incision on her back emerges “Sue” (Margaret Qualley).
The duo is bound by strict rules: only one can be awake at a time while the other lies incapacitated on the bathroom floor, dependent on a feeding tube. To maintain the balance of their shared existence, Sue must regularly inject herself with Elisabeth’s spinal fluid. Though they are technically one entity, their thoughts and emotions remain separate.
Fargeat’s cinematography mirrors her earlier work in Revenge, featuring lingering close-ups of Qualley’s scantily clad body. The camera’s gaze is almost voyeuristic, emphasizing Sue’s beauty in a film that critiques the industry’s obsession with appearance. If Fargeat aims to involve the audience in this critique, she ironically mirrors horror’s traditional exploitation of women’s bodies instead of subverting it.
Moore delivers a performance that leans towards the theatrical, while Qualley embodies a hollow, narcissistic character reminiscent of Patrick Bateman. Unfortunately, we learn very little about either character beyond surface-level traits, and the generic backdrop offers no depth. This lack of specificity renders it difficult to feel invested in their struggles.
By rehashing well-trodden discussions about Hollywood’s fixation on youth and beauty, The Substance becomes a lifeless imitation of the very industry it critiques, culminating in a third act that feels unearned and excessive.
Above all, the film is a somber reminder of society’s disdain for those who defy pop culture’s standards. However, replicating exploitative imagery does not inherently make it subversive. The film’s execution is as superficial as the ideals it aims to criticize. Lacking empathy and failing to provide any resolution, The Substance is ultimately a rehash of tired tropes, leaving viewers with a sense of disillusionment rather than catharsis.
In-Depth Analysis
Exploration of Themes
At its core, The Substance attempts to tackle the societal pressures surrounding beauty, particularly for women in Hollywood. The film opens with a stark illustration of this reality: Elisabeth, once a sought-after figure, finds herself discarded as she ages. This sets the stage for her desperate quest for rejuvenation through the titular procedure. However, instead of offering a nuanced exploration of these themes, the film resorts to familiar tropes and a lack of character depth.
Character Dynamics
Elisabeth’s relationship with Sue, her surgically created alter ego, is meant to symbolize the internal struggle many women face in the pursuit of beauty. Yet, their interactions feel shallow and one-dimensional. Elisabeth’s desperation and Sue’s detached vanity create a dissonance that the film fails to resolve meaningfully. The lack of character development prevents any genuine emotional investment from the audience, resulting in a narrative that feels hollow.
Visual Storytelling
Visually, Fargeat’s direction is striking but ultimately contributes to the film’s problematic elements. The camera’s lingering focus on Sue’s body fetishizes the very ideals it seeks to critique. Rather than deconstructing the male gaze, the film appears to capitulate to it, reducing its critique to mere lip service. The choice to emphasize Sue’s physicality while neglecting the emotional and psychological ramifications of their shared existence diminishes the film’s potential impact.
Cultural Commentary
While the film aims to comment on the superficial nature of Hollywood and its treatment of women, it ends up reinforcing the very standards it seeks to challenge. By centering the narrative around beauty and youth, The Substance inadvertently replicates the cycle of exploitation it critiques. The lack of genuine insight into the characters’ experiences further weakens the film’s commentary, making it feel more like a regurgitation of tired narratives rather than a bold new perspective.
Conclusion
Ultimately, The Substance struggles to deliver a fresh take on a well-worn subject. Its failure to provide depth, empathy, or a meaningful resolution leaves it feeling like a superficial exercise in self-reflection. In its attempt to critique Hollywood’s obsession with beauty, it inadvertently becomes a part of that very system, offering little more than a bitter reminder of the industry’s relentless pressures. Audiences seeking a thoughtful exploration of these themes may find themselves disappointed, as the film’s execution falls flat, resulting in a lack of catharsis or genuine engagement.
