The Substance starts out really strong, offering up some great social commentary and suspenseful moments, but the end goes off the rails, making it a movie that is not for everyone.
The Substance is a movie that is not going to be for everyone – let’s get that out of the way. It is classified as body horror and I would have to agree, although there are a lot of thriller aspects to it as well. The cast – Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid – are all phenominal. They are over the top when they need to be, which really works with the (mostly) brilliant script. Things go completely off the rails in the third act, in an expected and intriguing way. It is not bad, but it is certainly going to divisive.
The plot surrounds a television star, Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore), who learns the network has plans to replace her on her workout show with a younger actress.Distraught, she ends up calling a phone number for something called “the substance”. It promises to create a younger, prettier, version of herself, but as expected, there is a catch.
I do not want to get too into it for fear of spoilers, but as depicted in the above photo, the younger version (Qualley) quite literally comes out of her. Forced to switch off every week, the versions of Elisabeth Sparkle start to butt heads as their lives disrupt one another. This is where things get extremely interesting, and where most viewers will be on the edge of their seats.
As the movie goes on, things get crazier and crazier. They get more intense and suspenseful, until a flip switches and it gets full on bonkers. Some people will love it, some will hate it, but say what you will – it is fun to watch the ridiculousness unfold.
The Substance is two hours and twenty minutes long, which is easily the biggest issue with it. There is a lot of fat that can be trimmed (no pun intended) throughout. Even if the same, bizarre, ending is kept, many sequences could be shorter. It almost seems as if some sequences are drawn out just for the sake of being drawn out, rather than to add anything to the story.
The sound design is one of the brightest spots of the film. Right from the start it is impeccable – and it never falters. There are close up shots of faces, fingers, mouths, and the list goes on and on, that add a lot to the movie. They help the parts that work shine, taking things to a while new level.
As noted, the acting, sound design, and cinematography are fantastic. However, what I like most about this film is the social commentary and the messaging about learning to love all of you. Elisabeth Sparkle is unhappy with how she looks in her older age, but she is truly a beauty – with people actually pointing it out to her.
She longs for her younger self and loses herself in the process. Although The Substance takes this quite literally, many of us can relate to these feelings. There is always going to be something that we do not like about ourselves, and it is dangerous to dwell on them.
Overall, The Substance is a fun movie. It is twisted and bizarre, strange and even disgusting at times. Some viewers will be foreced to turn away during certain scenes. The messaging is wrapped in a brilliant and entertaining story, that, while it takes way too long to tell, is a memorable experience.
The third act is where this movie will lose some people. But the ones who are into this sort of thing are going to have the time of their lives. There are a few plot holes and loose ends, but I can honestly say I had fun with The Substance, which is all I can ask for.
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About The Substance
Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself?
You. Only better in every way.
Seriously.
You should try this new product: The Substance. IT CHANGED MY LIFE.
The Substance releases in theaters September 20, 2024.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.