Film festivals are no stranger to controversy via polarizing fare and lengthy standing ovations, but this year’s most sensational title happens to be Demi Moore’s first horror movie since 1988’s The Seventh Sign. In this case, a fear familiar to many will form the basis for this film’s extra-gory serving of body horror that arrives with hefty doses of nudity from Moore and her co-star, Margaret Qualley.
The film, written and directed by Coralie Fargeat (Revenge), serves as a parable about wish fulfillment with graphic Cronenberg touches, and the film contains very little dialogue but has plenty to say, so film’s title works in more ways than a few. Let’s dive into the gory details on what to expect from one of the most intriguing movies of 2024.
Plot
In The Substance, Demi Moore portrays Elizabeth Sparkle, an aging Oscar winner who has stayed relevant as a celebrity workout instructor until a TV exec named Harvey (that name is no coincidence, and he is portrayed by Dennis Quaid) has decided that she’s passed the age where being a commodity is possible. In frustration, Elizabeth decides that an experimental new product, which will create a younger version of herself and has a worthy selling point, which forms the film’s synopsis:
Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself?
You. Only better in every way.
You’ve got to try this new product.
It changed my life.THE SUBSTANCE.
There’s a twisted Cinderella spin on this promise, however. Sue is born in the image of Margaret Qualley, and before too long, she decides to ignore the agreed-upon condition of switching places each week. You can imagine how well that decision eventually goes.
In an interview with Indiewire, Moore addressed the film’s plentiful nudity, which is “about the vulnerability.” The Ghost star also discussed the approach that The Substance takes to the split bodies and personalities:
“If you imagine – let’s take identical twins, and maybe that’s not even a good example. We had a lot of discussions trying to figure out some connections, some logic, so we were all operating from the same thinking.The best way I can think of it was that while we share consciousness, that physical body [with] a cellular memory, [each] was creating its own experience. The longer Sue had her time awake, you can kind of see the lack of regard she starts to have for Elisabeth the more times she’s in her own body.”
And recently in a more SPOILER-LADEN DISCUSSION (including details on a scene with “30,000 gallons of blood”) with with LA Times, Qualley addressed her approach to working out for months ahead of the nude scenes:
“We’re representing perfect, right?” Qualley says. “And the movie has a pretty inspired message. So I also thought it was important for that perfect to be healthy, even if it’s unrealistic. I’m fortunate that the naked stuff was at the top because throughout the five months my ass was just slowly deflating.”
Moore, unfazed by “The Substance’s” ample nudity, all of it motivated, quips, “I did admire how round Margaret’s ass was.”
On a less appealing note, Qualley revealed that she did have at least one “panic attack” while shooting some of the more stressful scenes, and “had crazy acne for a full, long-ass time.” Moore added that “I got shingles… and I then lost, like, 20 pounds” due to the film’s intensity. And the show still went on, soon to be visible in a multiplex near you.
Cast
In addition to Demi Moore as Elisabeth and Margaret Qualley as Sue, Dennis Quaid (who replaced the late Ray Liotta) portrays a TV executive named Harvey. The cast further includes Hugo Diego Garcia and Gore Abrams.
Release Date
September 20 is when the fateful first injection will arrive in theaters.
Trailer
Admit it, you can’t stop watching this, but you don’t want to either.