Highly addictive and painfully unforgettable. A new horror film starring iconic female actresses Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore is the newest to hit Hollywood, but what on earth is The Substance?
Elizabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) used to be a star. A Hollywood icon, she was the ultimate ‘it girl’. But, as she hits her 50th birthday, her current role as the host of a popular aerobics TV show comes to an abrupt end. She is fired and told she is too old and no longer desirable. Subsequently, Elizabeth finds out about a new drug called “The Substance”, a black-market serum which temporarily creates a “better version of yourself; younger, more beautiful, more perfect”. So, Elizabeth, without much thought, gives it a go. This creates Sue (Margaret Qualley), and while she can spend one week in this perfect body, she then must also spend one week as Elizabeth to “respect the balance”. This is a mantra repeated throughout the film, as Elizabeth/Sue fails to follow these instructions and becomes addicted to the euphoria of the substance.
My jaw was constantly dropping and just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, Caroline Fargeat found a new way to make my stomach churn. The film takes the simple concept of an ageing actress and explores the harsh standards of beauty in comparison to grotesque use of body horror. With its graphic nature seared into my memory, what struck me the most was the relatability and how close to home it feels.
All female viewers can connect to the themes of sexism, women in Hollywood and female beauty standards in some way. The line “pretty girls should always smile” was heartbreaking, seeing how Elizabeth suffered so intensely. Elizabeth constantly chases perfection through Sue but in the process destroys herself.
The pursuit for perfection is one that women are often forced to conform to, as our worth is often reduced to our physical attributes. But chasing this unattainable concept of perfection loses yourself in the process. A feeling that is common amongst all women, the emptiness we feel after losing our essence because of harsh beauty standards, or rather, losing our substance.
Despite being a gruesome horror, the insanity rang true to modern-day society. Sue is preyed upon by the company who makes the substance, her insecurities and vulnerabilities making her a perfect victim. Ozempic is a diabetes medication taken for weight loss, in which individuals surrender their personal agency to become reliant on medication to achieve their aesthetic goals. This is a growing trend, as people are taking this medicine not because they need it but because of the growing pressures to conform to idealised standards of beauty.
Furthermore, this medication raises concerns about the reliance on external factors for one’s self-worth. Elizabeth’s pursuit for societal acceptance leads to horrifying consequences, as she becomes highly addicted to this fallacious form of validation. Substance abuse and its raw consequences are explored through Elizabeth, akin to similar drugs in real life. So, if the substance was real, would people take it?
Scarier than Ozempic, cosmetic surgery is a lucrative business which forces girls to risk it all just to get closer to an unrealistic standard of beauty. For example, 42.7% of those who undergo a medical thigh lift procedure experienced complications. In the final act, Elizabeth bathes the audience in her blood as a visceral representation of all the blood that has been shed for the sake of beauty. “If you take from one, it shows in the other” is one of the rules of the drug, and this rings true to the devastating consequences of plastic surgery. Not just the physical health risks but the emotional impact of societal pressure. But, this is the art of butchery for the pursuit of beauty. In today’s modern world, one cannot beauty is not without the gore.
Although a satirical, campy and over the top film, it is also devastatingly sad at some points. Elizabeth’s self-hatred was tragic and her overarching desire to be loved is heartbreaking. Sue destroys her but Elizabeth can’t escape her own self-destruction. She is a victim of the patriarchy, but also herself. She could take away the substance at any point and choose a life away from fame, but the spotlight and beauty are her drug of choice.
Overall, as opposed to the cheesy “love yourself” messages which are common in film, you leave the cinema invigorated to stop the self-hatred. It is oddly and unsuspectingly empowering, and so while being totally horrifying, this seems to be the best way to rejuvenate an exhausted film trope.
This is a great film to watch with your friends at the cinema, because your skin may be crawling for 2 hours and 20 minutes, but all I can say is that this is a story that leaves an impression long after the credits roll.