Just One More Time: The Substance Review

By: Myriam Akbar

    I knew nothing more than a poster and tiny teaser of Demi Moore in a mirror. I learned from my experience with Strange Darling how effective “going in blind” can be. The fierce look in her eyes wiping off lipstick, stretching and smearing it across her face. I immediately bought my ticket and headed to the Theater. 

    The Substance is a 2024 body horror film about a woman who is struggling with the fading of her celebrity career. She uses a black market drug to obtain a more youthful appearance. It works but it’s not what she expected and there’s some ridiculously wild side effects.

    There’s something so special about going in with no expectations and leaving with all of your non-expectations met. Exceeded, even. Some films are just that good. Three words: symbolic, sexy, and sickening. The Substance tackles various themes: womanhood, the difficult aspects of aging, the entertainment industry’s unrealistic expectations of women, drug and cosmetic addiction, misogyny etc. I believe the serious nature of the thematic concerns is well balanced with bright colors, dance numbers, and spunky dialogue. Those elements, as well as humor and some unhinged body horror scenes. Considering how bonkers the imagery became towards the end, I did take the story less seriously. There's an unrealistic nature that took me out a bit. Additionally, I think the film ran about 20 minutes too long. There’s a few scenes that could have been removed or shortened, without altering the impact. I find that the pacing of a film stood out to me, in the way that the overall story structure does. These are two of my negative marks; however, the flaws don’t overshadow the impact The Substance currently has on the industry. An iconic addition to cinema!

Photo Cred: Wikipedia.com