Unrealistic beauty standards for women have dominated the world for centuries. Before, women were held to the standards of portraits and sculptures of unnatural hourglass figures; now, women see the Jenners and Kardashians post-op and think that that is what they need to emulate to be “beautiful.” No matter the era we live in or the age we are, these comparisons are extremely dangerous. The expectation society places on women— to look flawless 24/7— is impossible to achieve.  Â
The recently released psychological thriller, The Substance, focuses on critiquing the societal expectation of perfection in women, especially when aging. The protagonist, Elizabeth Sparkle, played by Demi Moore, is used to show the potential damage done to women when they chase the impossible: eternal flawlessness. The other protagonist, Sue, played by Margaret Qualley, is a result of the temporary happiness and instant gratification felt when her beauty and youth allow her to be glorified by society once more. Without spoiling it, Sparkle is offered a sort of “substance” she can inject in order to become Sue every other week. Despite the fact that it seems relatively suspicious, Sparkle goes back and forth with herself for a few days on whether or not she should begin this “process” where she can enjoy the benefits of youth, ultimately choosing to do so. The depressing difference between how Elizabeth Sparkle (her original 50-year-old self) and Sue (her youthful, “more beautiful” self) are treated once the process begins should be noted. It highlights society’s deep-rooted biases that equate a woman’s value with her youth and appearance, exposing the harsh reality of ageism and the double standards women face as they grow older.Â
The entire premise of the film is based on the fact that once women turn a certain age, in the movie’s case, 50, they are too old to be considered “beautiful”. They need to be replaced with someone younger, more beautiful according to the standard and more lively. Not only is the expectation that women are to always look perfect upheld in our society, but the belief that women become ugly and undesirable at a certain age is as well. Aging is a blessing, and we need to start looking at it as such. The film reflects real-world pressures where beauty and youth are marketed as necessities for women to maintain relevance and worth.Â
A heavily emphasized point in the film is that Elizabeth Sparkle and Sue become one as the substance is injected. They are not two different women anymore, they are one. This becomes a problem as the love received by Sue triggers a greedy spiral that causes Sparkle to age even faster—portrayed as the worst possible punishment. The physical decay also seems to reflect Sparkle’s internal state of mind as she is deeply troubled over the fact that she does not always look as young and pretty as she would like to. The directors subtly critique society with rapid aging as a consequence of trying to retain youth. This criticism shows that we often think of women who age as having diminished value, which completely dehumanizes them. The actual process of switching bodies is also a deeply unsettling one in the film that critiques the pain that women will put themselves through in order to feel beautiful and be respected by men and society. The main message of the movie is one that speaks to both young girls and older women watching. To young girls: you do not need surgery or crazy operations to be beautiful and worthy of respect. To older women: aging is beautiful and does not make you any less of a woman.Â
Might I add that the film shows an interesting double standard, as men are typically treated with constant respect no matter their age, while it’s almost as if women have some sort of expiration date. Everyone say thank you to the patriarchy! Women always need to look 25 and absolutely divine, while men on the other hand… you get my point. Obviously, these things are not true. The movie’s way of overexaggerating the message makes it clear that women are beautiful regardless, which is something I think we all needed to hear.
The pursuit of being “flawless forever” in The Substance mirrors the cultural expectation that women should remain youthful, beautiful, and polished, reinforcing an impossible standard. The movie handles this sentiment perfectly with the use of dark humor and disturbing imagery to point out how ridiculous these standards for women are. The grotesqueness of the film is not for those with light stomachs, but it is extremely effective in driving the message home to women that it is dangerous to try and revert the effects of aging instead of embracing it. So, if you’re looking for an unsettling movie with some important underlying messages to watch over the weekend, I recommend The Substance.