Film Review #147: THE SUBSTANCE

Execution is key.

In a way, the titular “substance” does just that – it takes something that already exists and creates something that feels brand new out of it. Elisabeth Sparkle takes ‘The Substance’, which creates a ‘better version of herself’, the same way writer/director Coralie Fargeat takes themes surrounding destructive beauty standards and the never-ending desire to be loved and seen – which have existed within the realm of cinema for a long time – and creates an arguably better version of a film in the genre; The Substance manages to feel fresh and original despite having been created within a largely-used sandbox. 

The story revolves around a television star who is beginning to phase into the stage of a has-been, when a mysterious product off the black market promises to create a ‘better version’ of herself. Things initially go well, before her misuse leads to everything going off the rails into madness.

We have seen such stories before, namely works like Mika Ninagawa’s Helter Skelter (2012), Nicolas Winding Refn's The Neon Demon (2016), or Georges Franju's Eyes Without a Face (1960). What we have not yet seen is something that morphs into Peter Jackson’s Bad Taste (1987), or David Cronenberg’s Videodrome (1983), to name a few. The Substance wears these points of inspiration on its sleeve, but never in a way that feels derivative. 

I would be lying if I said I was not sceptical of how this film was going to turn out at the start, especially with its exploration of the themes I mentioned above. However, what elevates the film is its full commitment to its grotesque and gory nature; It starts off with glimpses of gore reminiscent of the French New Extremity movement (a movement that started in the early 2000s, with notable filmmakers including Gaspar Noé and Catherine Breillat, and more recently Julia Ducournau), before kicking the engine of the film into overdrive, constantly escalating with no signs of stopping; just when you think the film has reached its ultimate climax, it finds a way to go above and beyond that, reaching points where I was left in awe and uncontrollable laughter. 

The Substance takes the painful internal struggle of wanting to be loved by the public vs losing oneself, and turns it into two personas: Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), and Sue (Margaret Qualley). The main conflict of the film rises between these two characters, eventually giving rise to a spectacular finale, which nothing can prepare you for.

The film also benefits from the all-in commitment of its leads. Moore gives this film her all, with a performance that can switch between tragic, heartbreaking, comical, and downright disgustingly hilarious (i.e. my way of saying it was downright disgusting, yet hilarious) with utmost ease, and it never feels like it’s going  too far from the script. Qualley, likewise, is an absolute delight on-screen, proving herself to be an equal match to Moore. Dennis Quaid, who takes on a supporting role of the slimy, shrimp-devouring television head-honcho, also sells his distasteful persona perfectly. 

All this is elevated by the beautiful craft at hand by Director Fargeat, who in collaboration with cinematographer Benjamin Kracun, frames the film in mostly stunning wides or claustrophobic close-ups. This further elevates the unnerving experience that is The Substance; a film that keeps you constantly on edge, with some of the wildest gore of the decade so far, but also always maintains focus on its narrative and never loses itself in the effects and shock value. 

At the end of it, The Substance truly challenges the subgenre it sits in that revolves around beauty standards, because it tackles something well-known in a new way.

Again, execution is key.

The Substance opened in Singapore theatres 26 September 2024. As of the date of writing, it is still playing in theatres. MUBI has acquired worldwide rights for the film.

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About the author: Amadeus is a filmmaker who has loved cinema as far back as he could remember. Most of his time is spent in theatres, otherwise he is writing about the films playing in them.

This review is published as part of *SCAPE’s Film Critics Lab: A Writing Mentorship Programme, with support from Singapore Film Society.