Luke Geier Reporter
2024 has proven to be a great year for indie horror. Osgood Perkins’ “Longlegs” stole the show earlier this July and proved to be an incredible step forward into the procedural thriller world. Jane Schoenborn’s “I Saw the TV Glow” effortlessly mixes existential horror with the coming-of-age genre. Other memorable horror flicks from this year include Tilman Singer’s “Cuckoo,” Damian McCarthy’s “Oddity,” and others. Among the most memorable, though, and possibly the best horror film of the year thus far, is Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance.”
The film stars Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid, and if the cast isn’t enough to convince you that this movie is worth your time, it also won best screenplay when it premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival.
The film follows Elisabeth Sparkle, a middle-aged aerobic-dance show host whose program is canceled. After certain circumstances that lead her to a hospital, she discovers a substance that has the ability to make her the “Best version of herself,” as said in the movie. Hesitant yet desperate to be youthful again, Elisabeth takes the strange substance and is transformed into a younger version of herself.
After catching word that the studio she had previously worked for is looking for “The next Elisabeth Sparkle,” she auditions and gets the job immediately under the name of Sue. It’s hard to avoid spoilers in a movie that is this multilayered, so without further explanation of the plot, I’m going to stop there. Trust me though, you’ll benefit much more from stepping into this movie blind.
The film features a small but incredible cast of lead and main characters. Qualley is sensational as the newly reinvented Sue, and Quaid steals the show as the over-the-top and disgustingly funny Harvey.
With all of this being said, the performance that shines above the rest is Moore’s performance of Elisabeth Sparkle. Moore explores the unrealistic standards placed on older women in Hollywood flawlessly, and only after watching do you realize how emotionally and physically exhausting a role it must’ve been. Never once does that hit you while watching the film, though, and that’s thanks to what might be the greatest performance of Moore’s career to date.
In addition to the incredible performances, Fargeat’s direction is unlike anything that has graced the screen for a very long time. One could argue that the colors and exaggerated set pieces featured present a great amount of surrealism to the viewer, and while this is definitely true in certain aspects, the film remains to stay grounded in the chaos. Everything looks like it was made in a doll house, and these artificial textures only add to the overall feeling of paranoia within the film.
Fargeat doesn’t stop there, though. Never have I been more squeamish during a theater experience in my life. Fargeat truly takes everything you may know about the body horror genre and cranks it up to 10! If you’re a fan of horror, then “The Substance” is something you’ll want to see on the biggest screen possible! Overall, I would rate this film a 5/5.