User reviews

Let me start with the positives. There are a LOT of them. The casting? Perfect. The acting? Pretty flawless. All performances drew me in and added greatly to the story. The concept was phenomenal and super interesting. A really great idea for a movie. The cinematography was unique and very good. The score also greatly added to the suspense. The first 2 thirds of the movie executed all of these things to a T

So why 6 stars? THE ENDING. Took the believable and suspenseful story aspects and threw them out the window in favor of indulging the director's Cronenberg fantasy and desire to max out the special effects budget. It came off as completely disorganized, almost like they had no idea what to do with the ending or any desire to make it interesting. A movie with so much going for it and I left the theater disappointed.

Side notes: enough with the butt shots. We get what you're trying to do, that's enough. Also, if you want to disgust your audience, put in the work in the writers room. Adding over the top squelching sounds to almost every scene is lazy.

Every scene of this film wowed me at TIFF. The casting, atmosphere, visual and sound design, music, and, of course, the symbolism of it all.

Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley couldn't have been more perfectly cast as leads. Their devotion to the process and trust in their director was clear to me. Their vulnerability pulls this off and leads to a very compelling fever dream.

Everyone involved should be really proud of this film. To me, it's a future cult classic.

It is body/psychological horror, so don't expect jump scares. It's deeper than that. I found myself getting lost in reflection during the film (as a 47 year old woman it really spoke to me).

But it's also extremely fun to watch!

Take it seriously as a true work of art, but don't at the same time, and you'll have a blast.

Was an enjoyable watch but the last 20-30 minutes got kinda silly and dumb, it lost its intelligence and subtlety too say the least and went to pure dumb gross out scenery, completely unnecessary especially when the messaging wasn't exactly subtle and was evident throughout the entire movie, from the very premise itself tbh, point is they could a ended on a much stronger note before the final change as it added nothing too what it was trying to say or show, not that it should turn anyone off from watching it, it's a good movie that will keep you interested from start too finish but should've been 20 min shorter.

And I've seen thousands. I estimate about 5k movies in my 39 years on this earth. I can't remember one ever hitting me this hard. I was sweating when it finished, even in a cool auditorium. Words to describe how I feel (until now, a full hour after): shocked, floored, stuck, traumatized (in a good way?). This movie affected me. It destroyed me.

As soon as the credits rolled, everyone in the theater started talking to each other, saying things like wow, omg, wth, BRO, while laughing in shock. These are random people I don't know. We continued to discuss it afterwards. That's never happened to me before.

Don't watch this movie if the following apply to you: You are squeamish, sensitive, or easily triggered. You don't know what body horror is. You're not familiar with dark comedies. You close your eyes at scary parts. You are looking for a date movie.

If the following apply to you, go see this now, without watching a trailer or reading what it's about: You are fully desensitized. You're annoyed with all the neutered PG-13 movies. You even think modern R-rated movies are too mild and don't go all out. You feel like movies are all the same or fail to stand out.

The acting is great, with Demi Moore possibly giving her best performance. All technical aspects are pristine, with the sound design/mixing standing out the most. If the director wants you to hear someone chewing obnoxiously, it will sound like the mic is in his mouth. Like the rest of the movie, everything is in your face in an intentionally off-putting way.

About halfway through, I was really enjoying it, but I was worried that it would go the way of many style-over-substance movies. They rarely land for me because I need more than metaphors and deeper meanings. The Substance has those things, but still comes through with one of the most satisfying third acts I can think of.

I rarely ever give 10 star ratings (excluding comedies, 13 ever). And rewatchability plays a big factor. I don't care. Even if I only watch this a couple more times, I will NEVER forget this experience, or the images that are seared into my brain forever.

(2 viewings, early access screening 9/18/2024, 10/30/2024)

This is a desperately overrated film. It's an interesting watch, for sure, but as a whole it falls flat. While the director utilizes artistry for the story, ultimately the plot holes are undeniable, and worst of all, the ending is just ridiculous to the point where everything good that they were selling for the first hour about it devolves into a mess of a movie.

Have you ever heard of the term 'reaching'? That is what the people praising this are doing. They are reaching because in the first hour of the film, the movie showed promise, and they are ignoring everything that came after, which is plot holes galore.

Also, spiritually, it is a negative movie experience. The energy is negative and pointless by the end. There are no moral lessons here of which should have been if they stuck with the depth and substance of the first hour of a woman trying to regain her youth. Instead, it just devolves into a vapid gore fest in the third act that is just meant to stir up publicity and cause shock.

The first hour was pretty decent, but if this is what passes as a "good movie" or a "classic" these days as many reviews are trying to push, then we are in trouble. It has those very few elements at times of a masterpiece like many movies that try to push boundaries do, but ultimately it's a bad movie that doesn't even come close to a Wes Craven Scream film, and those aren't even masterpieces.

We need to cut down the hyperbole these days. Being different is not enough to be a masterpiece, and I feel bad for people who think this is anything great. They must have only seen twenty films in their lifetimes.

I was extremely hyped for that movie even though I'm not a big fan of Fargeat's debut film "Revenge". I liked her as a director, but not as a screenwriter. While that movie had interesting visual style, the screenplay was bad & stupid and the characters were uninteresting.

However she improved a lot from her last movie. "The Substance" looks amazing, the shots, the score, the editing, production design and even costumes are well thought out. The screenplay is also great (she actually won an award for Best Screenplay at Cannes for "The Substance"), the decisions that characters are making are understandable - they are results from characters' determination to achieve their goals.

I also loved Demi Moore's perfomance (it's worth mentioning that I wasn't considering her good actress at all, but after watching that movie, the first thought that came to my mind was that maybe she isn't a bad actress, she was just starring in bad movies), it's definitely highlight of her carrer. Margaret Qualley is great as always. Even Dennis Quaid, despite little screen time, gives fun and engaging perfomance.

Probably the most talked about part of that movie is gore and body horror elements. And, yeah, I must admit that this movie is pretty extreme and may be hard to watch for some viewers. Personally during those scenes I wasn't feeling disgusted or smth, cause I'm a big fan of disturbing cinema, so I'm used to that stuff, but I understand that it may be a hard journey for others. That proves how great make-up artist did their job (i would be happy seeing this movie nominated for an Oscar for "best make-up and hairstyling) and how sick and twisted Fargeat's imagination is.

Overall, I strongly recommend this movie. It may not be for everyone, but it's worth checking out for yourself and seeing it for yourself, cause even if u don't like it, u can't deny is isn't one of the most insane, extreme and interesting movie of this year (or even a decade).

The substance reproduces the things that it wants to criticize.

The criticism doesn't work because it's contradictory. It wants to criticize the beauty cult but reproduces the fear and disgust of aging. It shows us a tremendously disgusting old female body and places it next to a younger, thinner and wrinkle-free version. With a male gaze all over it.

The Substance shows us that the worst thing that can happen to a woman is getting old. If she's old, she's worthless, ugly and unloveable. So you have to do anything to stay young, thin and beautiful.

Instead of criticising the system and the society, who are responsable for this beauty cult, the movie emphasizes, how greedy and envious the female protagonist is.

In 2017, Coralie Fargeat's directorial debut 'Revenge' was released. A subversive tale of vengeance, like 'Kill Bill' mixed with 'Wolf Creek,' it was greeted with overwhelming praise, going on to make just under a million dollars at the box office. A strikingly shot picture overflowing with thematic weight, it showed Fargeat as a filmmaker unafraid to push boundaries and challenge conventions; a visionary with bold ideas.

A notion compounded by her second feature 'The Substance'. A satirical body-horror, it centres on Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading Hollywood starlet. After her 50th birthday, she is fired from her job as host of an aerobics show; her producer reasoning she is past her prime. Circumstances introduce Sparkle to a new wonder drug, creating a younger, more beautiful and perfect version of herself- if she follows the instructions, that is.

'The Substance' is a wild film, most easily described as being like 'All About Eve,' or 'Sunset Boulevard,' if directed by David Cronenberg. It contains much thematic depth, perhaps most obviously about fame, objectification and the ridiculous beauty standards faced by females in Hollywood. Fargeat's screenplay delves into the perils of a society obsessed with youth and perfection, showcasing the lengths to which individuals are willing to go to, to maintain their relevance and desirability.

It is a sad truth that, traditionally, opportunities for actresses dry up after they reach a certain age. Famously, in the early 1960's, Bette Davis was having such a hard time finding work that she placed an advertisement in The Hollywood Reporter, offering her services. In it, she stated that she possessed "thirty years' experience as an actress in motion pictures" and was "mobile still and more affable than rumour would have it." With her narrative, Fargeat cuttingly satirises the Hollywood machine, as well as the fickleness of fame.

Furthermore, as Sparkle becomes increasingly consumed by the drug and its effects, the film explores the duality of identity and the internal conflict between one's true self and the facade presented to the world, echoing Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' and Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'. Moreover, the grotesque transformations therein serve as a metaphor for the internal and external pressures faced by women in the entertainment industry. Other notions, such as addiction, control and obsession, are also examined; interwoven cleverly into the narrative and explored with tongue firmly in cheek.

It is a visually arresting film, with Fargeat's signature style evident in every frame. Alongside director of photography Benjamin Kracun, her use of vibrant, contrasting colours creates a surreal world for Sparkle to navigate; like some kind of 1980's hellscape. Furthermore, canny homages to other filmmakers (including Roman Polanski and Stanley Kubrick) serve to heighten the sinister atmosphere of proceedings, which the use of wide-angle lenses and extreme close-ups compounds. Combined with Gladys Garot and Stanislas Reydellet's meticulous production design, as well as Emmanuelle Youchnovski's costumes, the visuals are unsettlingly artistic and powerful.

The sound design is similarly effective at generating a sense of macabre disquiet. Much like the lush visuals, sounds are heightened to have the upmost effect. Moreover, Benjamin Stefanski's score is eerie and evocative, generating much dread, while songs like Bernard Hermann's 'The Nightmare & Dawn' from 'Vertigo,' and 'Pump It Up' by Earl Gregory are used to particularly strong effect. Furthermore, it is a well-edited picture, moving at a fast pace throughout.

In addition, the special effects and make-up are disgustingly breathtaking. Much like Rob Bottin's incredible work for John Carpenter's 'The Thing,' or Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis's similarly brilliant efforts for Cronenberg's 'The Fly,' Pierre-Olivier Persin's mostly practical effects are jaw-dropping. In the latter half in particular, they are on full display, and are never anything less than bloody amazing.

Demi Moore stars as Sparkle, and is startlingly intense. She goes all out, holding nothing back- both literally and metaphorically. There are parallels between herself and the character of Sparkle, which serve only to heighten the impact of the narrative and the power of her performance. "Fearless" and "brave" are words often applied to actors, and are usually inaccurate overstatements- they're only acting, after all, not firefighting. However, they are probably the best terms to describe Moore's work in the film. It's a gutsy performance devoid of vanity, that may be her best so far.

Margaret Qualley does similarly powerful work as Sue, Sparkle's alter-ego. Much like Moore, she gives everything to the role, and is equally compelling. She brings a vibrant energy and unsettling allure to proceedings, making her character sinisterly beguiling, and the film all the more gripping for it. In addition, Dennis Quaid- in a role originally meant for the late, great Ray Liotta- is magnificently manic as Sparkle's producer; clearly having a ball with the material.

In conclusion, 'The Substance' is a thought-provoking and visually arresting film that solidifies Coralie Fargeat's reputation as a bold and innovative filmmaker. By blending satirical commentary with visceral horror, Fargeat crafts a narrative that is as entertaining as it is unsettling, making the film a must-watch for fans of body horror and incisive social commentary alike. Boasting strong performances and incredible special effects, it fires on all cylinders and doesn't disappoint. So, buy the ticket and take the ride, because 'The Substance' is a trip worth taking.

We live in an amazing time. After seeing a film with a score of 8, and even with 2 famous actresses, and even with a woman director, whom I had never heard of before, and even in the horror genre, and even in the body horror subgenre.

Wow! I told myself and immediately turned on the inflated ratings, waiting, not yet knowing why.

I won't hide it for long. That's exactly what happened.

The subgenre itself is very niche. Well, judge for yourself: open fractures, blood, intestines. The human body is mutating into something absolutely disgusting. By the way, it is not always only the human body that gets in this format.

As a subgenre, why not, but it has never been massive, but this film...

The film's wrapper is very attractive. An incomprehensible description and a bright, beautiful, dynamic trailer. You can understand what is depicted there only after viewing, so if the viewer has not familiarized himself with the genre on the profile resource, he will most likely be unpleasantly surprised.

But the ratings are high, so the audience was lured by the picture, they slipped an absolute abomination. By the standards of modern sleek mass cinema, that's for sure. And the viewer was satisfied?

I would bet that the viewer was just shocked + the film has a message and some kind of morality, so positive ratings still prevail.

But I, as a person for whom this genre has existed for 40 years, was satisfied only because of the acting and very cool makeup. They really molded this something at the end out of I don't even want to guess what.

But if you delve into the plot, the behavior of the characters sometimes, then the picture begins to float.

The fact that all men are goats, objectification of women is bad and that chasing beauty at the sacrifice of health is bad, I realized in the first 15 minutes. Why do I need 2 more hours?

Yes, the camera hitting the interesting places of women is cool done, but I did not come to an adult film.

The ending is so-so. The scene in the hall is deliberately slipping into trash. You understand that, so it was and it was. It feels like the film deliberately tried to be something sublime and about meaning until the last moment, so as to surprise so much in the end. It surprised me wonderfully.

It's a shame for the line with the classmate of the main character. It gets its logical conclusion, but in the middle of the film I thought that the authors would go away, but this is already subjective.

Objectively, if you evaluate and compare with others, not even the best representatives of the genre. This movie is just average. But it must be borne in mind that for a film like this, a score of 7 is already a wow success. For understanding, The Thing film has a score of 8.2, and after it there are films of the 30s and only after that the films of Cronenberg begin.

Just so you understand. If the score of a horror story is from 7 points, then this is already a masterpiece, but here ... 8 ... I do not understand. I'm blocking it.

This is one of those movies that would not do justice seeing at home. You need to be in a packed theater, feel the waves and rushes of energy from the crowd. It's is an experience to say the least. You will laugh, you will look away, your jaw will drop, you will feel uncomfortable. But it's all worth it. It's incredible filmmaking, award winning acting and a smashing soundtrack all in one. Huge applause to Demi for taking on such a vulnerable role covering a subject that is rarely discussed. Looking forward to see what comes of this, hopefully more open conversation within the industry and more doors opened than closed.

Just note, this is NOT a movie you want to get high before seeing.

Demi Moore plays Elisabeth Sparkle, a celebrity who became famous when she was young and beautiful. Now she's older (but in good shape) and we will see what aging does to her career and self-image. With outside help, she creates a younger version of herself called Sue (Margaret Qualley), but she is warned that she has to periodically switch between living as the younger and older version of herself. She must not be late to make the switch!

To make this film they started off with a big bowl of drama, added a teaspoon of sci-fi, and a pinch of mystery. These elements work well together because everything is connected to the main story. At the end they added a whole bucketload of splatter à la early Peter Jackson (only they had a bigger budget and the effects were of course more modern.) This switch doesn't work so well for me.

I think they got the right actors for the parts. Besides Moore and Qualley I should also mention Dennis Quaid as the dirty, old boss. The cinematography was good. It had some weird close-ups, but those added to the mood of those scenes. The film had some body transformation effects that I liked, because it felt like something physical was on the screen. (The eyes were probably digital, however.)

Although I think this is in some ways a well-made film, I don't know who to recommend it to. Some will think the first three quarters of the film are interesting and appreciate that it takes its time to tell the story, but they might be put off by the ending. Others will think that the start and middle of the film are too slow and boring and might complain that we don't get any action until the end. I can appreciate different kinds of films, but it's distracting when you take a too sharp turn from one genre to another late in the film. For others it apparently works better, considering that From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) is a cult-classic, while I've always felt that it's two great films that were combined into one decent film.

If you're not too squeamish, and like strange films with some surprises this might be for you. Maybe.

Believe the hype - "The Substance" is even better than they say. From the opening scene, this film grabs you with its stunning cinematography and powerhouse performances by Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. The 2.5-hour runtime flies by, leaving you wishing it would never end. This movie is an instant cult classic, blending a fantastic score with razor-sharp social satire that feels both timely and timeless.

What really sets "The Substance" apart is its homage to Kubrick, infused with a fresh, female-driven perspective that makes every moment feel uniquely powerful. Coralie Fargeat has crafted a horror experience that's exactly what Cronenberg should be doing now-clever, grotesque, and endlessly captivating. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

The movie started off with an intriguing premise. Seeing Demi Moore back on the big screen, portraying a character grappling with age-related insecurities, was both refreshing and powerful. Moore, as one of the most stunning and graceful mature actresses I've seen, brought a rawness to the role that really hit home. Her character's struggles with the pressure of maintaining physical beauty in a society obsessed with youth and appearance were deeply relatable, and it felt like the film was setting up to explore these important themes in a thoughtful and impactful way.

As the plot unfolded, it continued to develop in a promising direction. It took a darker turn, delving into the complexities of self-perception and the destructive obsession with physical perfection. The themes of fractured identity and a lack of self-love were poignant, and for a while, the film seemed to be handling these modern issues effectively. The storyline, touching on the fragmentation of personalities and the psychological consequences of societal pressures, was gripping. I was fully invested in seeing how the narrative would conclude.

However, when it came to the ending, it all fell apart. What could have been a profound and thought-provoking conclusion instead devolved into a senseless and, frankly, off-putting sequence that left a bad taste. It felt like all the promise of the earlier parts of the film was undone by a chaotic, incoherent, and ultimately unsatisfying resolution. The ending not only failed to tie up the themes but also undermined the strength of the narrative. It was a great idea, but the execution at the end dragged the entire movie down, leaving me disappointed and questioning what it had all been for.

The better version of you is you. Not to be someone else nor someone younger or prettier. I like the message that packed in sarcastic way. At the end of the day, you need to choose, your own beauty or beauty with the monster within. Getting older and not pretty anymore is natural. Getting less famous and attractive is the consequences of life. Be grateful of what you have, and being not satisfy with what we have, only will lead us to the disaster. And remember karma does exist. You plant flowers, you will see the beauty. So, it is worth to watch. You will not see scary thing if you understand the message.