Showbiz can be a monster, just as the misogyny rampant within it can be. Coralie Fargeat takes these ideas, dials them up to 11, and then shatters the scale in The Substance (2024), her recent feature starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid. Following a fading star (Moore) who undergoes a particularly shady treatment in order to regain her glory, The Substance is not for the faint of heart. It makes a strong effort to distance itself from the likes of body horror titans like David Cronenberg.
Moore is a powerhouse in this film. Only really knowing her performances from Ghost (1990), this was a really interesting change of pace for the 61-year-old actress. Qualley is no different, giving a maniacal and sexy performance as Moore’s alluring counterpart Sue. The two foil each other perfectly, embodying the optimism and pessimism of life in the spotlight with fiery performances. I expect Moore specifically to get a serious awards snub early next year.
Fargeat directed one of my favorite films of all time, Revenge (2017), and with The Substance you get to see her hone her craft even further. She often deals with themes of transformation, and The Substance is no different. While her first feature dealt with the effects of trauma and a woman rising from the ashes against a system that endangers her, The Substance dissects the horrifying lengths women will go to remain relevant and conventionally attractive to the patriarchy. The film joins the ranks of feminist horror titans like Jennifer’s Body (2009) and Raw (2016) with its detailed approach to feminist themes and sentiments.
Fargeat also makes an effort to include an edgy and unapologetic approach to the camerawork. This film contains some of the most uncomfortable close-ups in a film, from a fly drowning in water to the eye of a woman being transformed. These close-ups aim to make the viewer feel uneasy and, in my opinion, can be more disgusting than the various depictions of blood and gore.
Speaking of which, this film is gnarly. There is a slower approach to the viscera of The Substance, but when it gets there it really gets there. Fargeat is known for some over-the-top depictions of gore, and The Substance is particularly unapologetic, refusing to give the audience any sort of solace. The film crescendoes in a disgusting final 30 minutes that left the people in my screening wondering what notes on cutting the film were approved.
While Fargeat is clearly a professional when it comes to the visual feast this film is, the message about Hollywood and the commodification of the female body we see throughout the film remains at the forefront. Old, creepy studio heads and shareholders (one of which is named Harvey, unsurprisingly) are littered throughout this film and constantly ogle the young women throughout, treating them like livestock that adds to their Christmas bonuses every year. Fargeat marries Revenge and The Substance, discussing the objectification of the female body within the media.
The Substance makes an effort to cement itself as its own titan in the body horror genre. This is a roller-coaster of a film that refuses to tap the brakes. It is an uncomfortable, stressful, gory film that engages with the horror of change and decay in its most raw form. Coralie Fargeat creates possibly the bloodiest and best film of the year that will undoubtedly hold up on rewatch and grip horror fans like nothing else.
Review Courtesy of Nadia Arain
Feature Image Image Credit to Mubi via AV Club