In Coralie Fargeat's latest film "The Substance," Demi Moore fearlessly tackles Hollywood's obsession with youth in a satirical horror-comedy that pushes boundaries and spills buckets of blood. The French filmmaker's second feature serves as a scathing critique of the entertainment industry's vanity and ageism, wrapped in a package that's equal parts grotesque and hilarious.
Moore portrays Elisabeth Sparkle, an Oscar-winning actress whose star has faded over time. The film's opening sequence cleverly illustrates this decline through a time-lapse of her Hollywood Walk of Fame star, a poignant metaphor for the fleeting nature of fame in an industry that has been celebrating celebrities since the 1930s when the term "A-list" was coined.
Desperate to reclaim her former glory, Elisabeth turns to a mysterious rejuvenation treatment called "The Substance." This plot device taps into the rich history of cloning in fiction, a concept that has captivated audiences since the 1930s. The treatment results in the creation of Sue, Elisabeth's younger clone played by Margaret Qualley, setting the stage for a weekly body-swapping routine that spirals into chaos.
Fargeat's direction is unapologetically excessive, employing fish-eye lenses (first patented in 1924) and long, Kubrick-esque corridors to create a sense of disorientation. The film's style evolves from drama to gory comedy, reminiscent of EC Comics' horror tales from the 1940s and 1950s, blended with elements of "The Twilight Zone" and "Sunset Boulevard."
Moore's performance is a standout, demonstrating a remarkable willingness to confront the industry's toxic standards. At 61, she embodies the struggles faced by aging actresses in Hollywood, where the average career span for women has historically been shorter than that of their male counterparts. Her portrayal of Elisabeth's insecurity and desperation is both a personal triumph and a broader indictment of the culture that elevates and discards celebrities.
The film doesn't shy away from body horror, a genre that gained prominence in the 1980s. It graphically depicts the consequences of Elisabeth and Sue's rule-breaking, resulting in scenes of extreme violence and gore that serve as metaphors for the destructive nature of Hollywood's youth obsession.
"In this town, you're only as good as your last facelift."
Fargeat's critique extends beyond Hollywood to encompass broader societal issues. The film touches on the rise of fitness culture, exemplified by Jane Fonda's workout videos that began in 1982, and the increasing popularity of cosmetic procedures like Botox, which was first approved for cosmetic use in 2002.
"The Substance" is not for the faint of heart, but it offers a thought-provoking and darkly humorous take on our culture's worship of youth and beauty. By pushing the boundaries of taste and decency, Fargeat has created a film that is itself a reflection of the excess it criticizes, challenging viewers to confront their own complicity in these cultural obsessions.
As the Hollywood sign looms over Elisabeth's canyon-top mansion (a landmark erected in 1923), "The Substance" serves as a bloody reminder that in the pursuit of eternal youth, we may create monsters of our own making. It's a cautionary tale for our Botox Nation, suggesting that the celebrities we idolize may ultimately become the nightmares we deserve.