Emma McCarthy dives into Coralie Fargeat’s dramatic newest release
‘The Substance’ directed by Coralie Fargeat, hit Irish cinemas on September 20. The body horror gives an unfiltered, raw depiction of the drastic lengths people take to achieve unrealistic beauty standards, for momentary empowerment through the male gaze. The Cannes Best Screenplay winner is a satirical glare to Hollywood’s sexist and ageist industry with Demi Moore giving a vulnerable and bold performance.
This movie is deranged, repulsive, and insanely graphic but hilarious. It’s a satirical body horror pushing boundaries both cinematically and thematically. It could not have been any more shocking, if you have a needle phobia you may need to turn your head.
A movie plot with twists and philosophy
Elizabeth Sparkle, performed by Demi Moore, is a fading TV star hosting an aerobics show. Sparkle overhears that her misogynistic boss Harvey, played by Denis Quaid, wants a new young and hot woman to take over her show.
Sparkle is given a black-market substance to recreate ‘a better version of herself: younger, more beautiful, more perfect.’ The luminous yellow substance replicates her DNA, birthing through her spine, the young and beautiful Sue, played by Margaret Qualley. To avoid complications or side effects, the two bodies must switch between each other every seven days.
Sue takes Elizabeth’s TV show, rising to stardom and wants to live full-time meanwhile draining the matrix’s body. While the story gets told, the film grows both funnier and more vicious, eventually transforming into a chaotic monster movie, featuring bizarre body-horror elements. The misuse of the substance leads to a whirlwind experience, as it shows how momentary empowerment and self-obsession can dehumanise a person.
The monster was created by Elizabeth and Sue by the pressures of the industry. The final 20 minutes shove the razor-sharp message of the movie into the faces of the audience and industry. There is nothing subtle about this film, if anything it is confrontational. The monster Elizabeth and Sue create gives us this terrifying image of self-destruction when you become consumed with fitting into ludicrous societal ‘norms’.
A critic of Hollywood, beauty standards and patriarchy
This movie explores themes of identity, addiction, a longing for acceptance, and how women cooperate with patriarchal control. Every person Sue or Elizabeth interacts with is a man, the executive, the producers, the cameramen, the doctors, the neighbours, and every voice other than Elizabeth or Sue is a man’s. The portrayal of men as cartoonishly evil leaves the audience feeling entertained but is also extremely realistic of how men do treat women in the industry.
Dennis Quaid nailed his role as the gross creepy executive, reminding Elizabeth that ‘renewal is inevitable’ in the industry as he unsubtly glances at the young waitress’s skirt.
Moore’s portrayal of Elisabeth is full of emotional depth, blending vanity, horror, and dark humour. She embodies the tragedy of an ageing star clinging to youth, which becomes both horrifying and satirical as her physical decay progresses.
Moore’s performance draws from her own Hollywood experiences, adding a layer of authenticity to her role as she navigates themes of body dysmorphia and obsession with appearance. Margaret Qualley displays a blend of innocence and menace in her performance as Sue. Her character initially seems childlike but quickly reveals a cunning motive to outshine Elisabeth and take over. Qualley’s physical performance contrasts sharply with Moore’s as she embodies the seductive allure of youth, turning Sue into a metaphor for the industry’s relentless demand for beauty.
Aesthetic, uncomfortable but captivating
The incredibly aesthetic visuals contrast the unsettling, disgusting sounds, and the heavy bass soundtrack are all used effectively by the director to create a build-up of tension. Even the normal scenes are invasive and uncomfortable such as the producer disgustingly eating the shrimp in close shots with heightened sound effects.
Watching this movie with an audience was an experience. There was gasping, groaning, and laughter as Fargeat manages to keep these tones present throughout the film.