the substance
THE SUBSTANCE
Written Produced & Directed by Coralie Fargeat
The cheek, the nerve, the gall, the audacity and the gumption! This is THE satirical body-horror event of the year. A hilarious gut-wrenching kaleidoscope of horror and Hollywood. You'll laugh and you'll hurl!
Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, an Oscar winning actress and host of an aerobics workout show who is unceremoniously fired on her 50th birthday. Devastated and triggered, events lead her to try The Substance, a black market drug that temporarily creates a younger perfect version of You. Enter Sue (Margaret Qualley, sexy and incredible), born out of a massive slit in Elizabeth's back in the first of many many incredibly graphic body horror scenes.
There's a lot of rules and maintenance with using the substance but most important is that they are still the same person ("there is no she"). Sue instantly takes over Elizabeth's old life and things get increasingly crazy, graphic disturbing. Demi Moore gives one of the most vulnerable committed
performances I have ever seen. There's nudity there's makeup and prosthetics there's a raw open wound of a person that she portrays brilliantly while also being very funny. Dennis Quaid as the evil disgusting TV executive is next-level insane, just nauseating every time he's on screen. (You'll never eat shrimp again)
You're treated to some of the most disgusting depraved body horror I have ever seen, things get crazier and crazier and then the last 30 minutes happen. Just an absolute fever dream, gonzo in every way. The less you know the better and seeing this in a crowded theater is the way to go. By the end at my screening the entire audience was screaming laughing groaning, just visceral reactions.
It's not for the faint of heart but at the same time I am a very squeamish person and was able to pull through, mostly because of the satirical tone throughout. It's gross funny heartbreaking but make no mistake this is still a horror movie. One of the best of the year!
🧪🧪🧪🧪 out of 4
