The Substance (18) |Close-Up Film Review
Cast: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid
Review by Carol Allen
Demi Moore plays Elisabeth Sparkle, a television fitness star, who’s fronted her high profile programme for many years. On her 50th birthday she learns quite brutally that she’s being dumped by the programme’s boss Harvey (Dennis Quaid), who’s looking for a twenty something newcomer to take her place. Moore, who is actually 61 in real life, is still beautiful and youthful looking but this is the best big screen role she’s had for several years. And she demonstrates she still has that star quality.
Elisabeth, who appears to have no other life apart from her brilliant career – no spouse or significant other, no children, not even a cat! – is devastated by her loss. Then she hears about “the substance” – a secret, black market miracle injection which will turn you into a younger, better version of yourself. Puts Botox right in the shade. There is a snag though. You have to spend exactly one week in one body, then one week in the other. You are the same person in both and the rules must be followed.
The actual procedure that Elizabeth goes through in the privacy of her bathroom, is complicated and rather gruesome, a birthing which she’s going to have to repeat every week. But what emerges is gorgeous, twentysomething Sue (Margaret Qualley), who immediately goes after Elizabeth’s job. And gets it. Harvey is slathering all over her and the camera loves her. But inevitably Sue doesn’t want to go back to the older woman’s body, starts to cheat on the instructions and it all goes horribly wrong – far more seriously wrong than a botched nose job or tummy tuck.
Fargeat makes her feminist point very effectively visually. Her camera lasciviously caresses Sue’s perfect and barely clad body, reflecting the expressions on the faces of the men leering and leching at her, while Quaid as the repulsive Harvey is filmed in a way that cruelly emphasises his loathsomeness.
As horror films go, this is an intelligent and engrossing one. As it develops however towards a spectacularly horrific and blood soaked climax, it loses the logic of its original premise and goes more than somewhat over the top. However even that final burst still has inspired moments of female inspired nightmare, particularly if you’re sensitive about your teeth.
