Allan Watched "The Substance"
Chillingly gruesome and absolutely bonkers, The Substance is an achievement in movie production and one of the most memorable movies you will ever see.
Can’t Look Away
There are very few moments of comfort in The Substance, and that was by design as Coralie Fargeat masterfully created a monumental film that tackles the societal pressures women face, particularly as people grow older. I’ve spent hours since watching the instant-classic ending to try and find the right comp, and it is hard to do. The movie is Carrie meets Barbie meets The Picture of Dorien Grey meets The Thing, but it also has stunning dialog-free stretches reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey, where you felt anyone talking would disturb the moment.
None of it works without the dedicated performance from Demi Moore, and anyone who views her award-season run as a “lifetime achievement” weighted recognition is horribly underselling how great she is as Elisabeth Sparkle. I hate the name but will never forget the performance of this aging star who resorts to a black-market “substance” that makes her young again, every other week. The film really begins when the young version of her, Sue, is “born,” and the unraveling of her body and mind as Sue takes the world by storm is the type of performance worthy of all the recognition.
Margeret Qualley holds her own as Sue, but the character very purposely has no depth and you keep waiting to see what Elisabeth is going to look like the next time she appears. Their fight scene is ridiculous, and Qualley nails the scream-queen moments, but this film is about Moore and Elisabeth.
One Person’s Vision
The film is Fargeat’s from beginning to end, and the story of her creating it is as interesting as the film itself. Since it is one person’s passion project, there are definitely overly indulgent moments that give the movie too long of a run time, but by the end, you do not care. There is a world where a Hollywood studio tells her to make it shorter or give more backstory, which part of me felt it needed, but then we would get a watered-down product. The film is singular in its intention, to focus on the bodily horror of Elisabeth trying to turn back time, and everything that costs her.
I did find myself amazed that it took 30 minutes to get to the actual substance, and the lack of dialog was not as effective in the exposition. It was a lot of just being told the themes in a very blunt way, and then Elisabeth just kind of walking around. The scenes with Dennis Quaid as evil Hollywood executive Harvey are on the nose, and I do not think Quaid had to act very hard, but… I’ll leave that alone.
The juxtaposition of Harvey grossly eating and smoking without having to worry about how the world views him while he makes his fortune profiting on the unrealistic beauty standards of women is effective, but I do not think we get enough of who Elisabeth is as we lead into her unboxing, with far too few instructions for my liking, this complicated “substance” cocktail. But then Sue is born and you throw all those pompous movie-viewing critiques out the window because you are witnessing absolute madness.
Award Worthy?
I love that The Substance is up for five Academy Awards. Anyone criticizing its inclusion for Best Picture and Best Actress clearly hasn’t seen the movie. The point of awards is to highlight the achievements in filmmaking, and ignoring this movie would hurt that principle.
Moore winning the Golden Globe sets her up as a favorite for the Oscars, but the Best Actress category is loaded. It won’t win Best Picture or Best Director, but it is worthy of being nominated for both. Best Original Screenplay may be a stretch because the story itself lacks, well, substance. I would be stunned, however, if we sit down on our couches on March 2nd and Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarselli are not announced as the winners for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
The production may be greater than the film as a whole, but if you are looking for a memorable movie experience, and have the stomach for the bodily horror, you cannot skip The Substance.
Random Thoughts
The true horror for me, as a person with misophonia, was watching a close-up of Dennis Quaid chomping on shrimp heads. Gah.
Also, must have been really hard for Dennis Quaid to play a disgusting person who shoulders up against people who put money over humans… a real stretch for him.
Ray Liotta was originally cast as Harvey before he passed away, and I can’t help but think of the marvelous laughing GIFs he would have added to his legacy if he did this film.
I believe in the beginning sequence on Elisabeth’s star there is a moment where it is snowing? In LA? Did I miss something there?
The final scene is absolutely iconic. Don’t read about how they filmed it until you watch it, but wow.
A couple of moments feel like direct nods to Carrie. Certainly that final scene, and there is a close-up of Sue with blood speckling her face that could be an exact doubling of Sissy Spaceck.
All bathroom stalls should be full doors with no gaps.
I could not figure out why her name being Elisabeth Sparkles hit my ear so wrong, and then I realized it… Robin Sparkles. That last name already belongs to an icon.
Considering the amount of time, effort, and product this film needed to be made, it is remarkable it only cost $17 million to make.
If I was unboxing a product full of syringes and things labeled “food” and there were no instructions, I would simply just throw it away and get plastic surgery.
Quick Hits
How many times have I seen this movie?
Once. I do not know if I can watch it again but that is because I am a wimp.
Where was I watching it?
This film was given the big TV treatment. Did not feel right to watch it on a laptop screen.
Favorite trivia about the movie
Everything about how it was produced. Absolutely everything.
Favorite part
Elisbeth cooking while watching Sue on late night TV is everything. And of course, the ending.
Least favorite part
The first 25 minutes were rough, but did it ever pay off.
Would I recommend this movie?
If bodily horror, chewing, lack of instructions, and overall gruesomeness doesn’t bother you, watch this film. It is horrific though, so be warned.
So What Does Allan Give It?
One Gold Thumbs Up! Overall, a score of 86. I don’t even know what I just watched, but it was something.
