The Substance (2024) | Film Review
Release Date: September 20th, 2024
Distributed By: MUBI
Director(s): Coralie Fargeat
Writer(s): Coralie Fargeat
Cast: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid
Sometimes you watch a film that is just so beyond what you expected - even if you understand the messaging and commentary behind it - that you're left with moments of silence where it's equal parts a state of shock, being flummoxed, and absolutely gobsmacked by the sequence of moving images that comprise a film entering through your retina and into your consciousness. Due to that, as I continue to come back to reality from Coralie Fargeat's picture, I'll do my best to articulate how it is I'm feeling, which may sound and feel as disoriented as it is intoxicated, because this was a roller coaster that should be experienced at least once—though you'll likely find yourself wanting to get back in line for another go.
The Substance sees Demi Moore slowly but surely being shunned away by society and wanting to desperately remain relevant – understanding that beauty standards have reached unrealistic proportions and youth is "perpetually attractive" – she takes measures into the experimental, wishing upon an idea that this "substance" she's been alluded to is the answer to all of her problems.
Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley have this incredible dichotomy that plays on a physical manifestation of meiosis, but though these two are the same, they insist on remaining independent, despite the dependence of one another per the laws of nature. This isn't just some banal "look at my clone trying to erase me" story, but one that delves deeper into a past and present self fighting for who wants to be "it" without taking into account how it can affect their future selves, physically and mentally.
This breakdown of wants and needs and this curiosity of nostalgia and being "forever young" comes at a price, and The Substance is an ineffable (if not at times horrific dramatization) extrapolation of societal pressures and the consequences of giving in and, subsequently, giving up who you are in favor of being someone the people want you to be. A manufactured being solely for the entertainment and pleasure of others in whatever capacity it may be required.
Demi Moore here is phenomenal, giving a gripping, grueling, and transcendental performance that is best described as transformative in and out of character, as the metamorphosis of her character echoes the growth and evolution of her career and artistry. It's clear, however, that The Substance is a cohesive package that brings out the best in everyone, creating a symbiosis between the performers and characters on screen that clearly all need each other in this biome of superstardom within its entertainment industry.
That being said, both Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid match Demi Moore's freak, but all in their own way to never seem as competitive as they are complementary. Again, symbiotic, and whole. One for all, all for one. Like peas in a pod.
The special effects, editing, and production value within The Substance are all leaps and bounds ahead of whatever $300,000,000 bloat major studios want to throw in your face now, really bringing together the entire film in a way that feels every bit as harmonious as it is unsettling. The imagery, music, shock value, and sequencing are all holding hands in a way that should, frankly, be presented in studies about what a whole, feature-complete film looks like. I don't believe it's too far-fetched to say that The Substance is a cinematic achievement.
It's not every day you watch a film and simply say "wow" once the credits roll and thank God that you were alive to experience it. This is what storytelling is. This is art.