00:05From Revenge director
00:06Colin Fargate comes
00:08The Substance, a body horror film
00:10about Elizabeth Sparkle, a celebrity
00:12fitness instructor, played by Demi Moore,
00:14who is given the sack when she hits 50.
00:17Desperate to reclaim
00:18her fame, she decides to
00:20take the titular drug known
00:22as The Substance, which grows
00:24a younger version of herself
00:26called Sue, played by Margaret Cayley,
00:28who is both linked
00:30to her, but also
00:32very independent. Right from the get-go
00:34I could tell this film was going to be great.
00:36The film owns a lot to other body horror directors
00:38like David Cronenberg or
00:40Brian Yusner with its sensibilities, leaning
00:42towards Yusner, but with an added element
00:44of New French extremity and
00:46Dorian Gray thrown in for good measure.
00:48They run for these themes of body dysmorphia,
00:51agents, and sexism
00:52rather well. The make-up effects
00:54also look great in this.
00:56I don't want to spoil what they are
00:58or how they're employed in the context of the film,
01:00but it's a magnificent feat
01:02and I hope the make-up team get their flowers
01:04during awards season.
01:05The direction of this film is on point
01:08as well. Fargate's
01:10framing of the human body is creepy and
01:12disturbing, but lots of uncomfortable
01:13close-ups and puts the film right up in your face,
01:16making it hard not to look away,
01:18especially in the body horror sequences.
01:20The film is also visually strong.
01:22With a little dialogue, it carries the film
01:24and tells the story in a clear fashion.
01:25And, on a cinematography front,
01:28everything feels paradoxically clean,
01:29but also dirty at the same time,
01:31with lots of over-saturated, dark colours
01:34being used to convey a grimy,
01:35but glamorous feel to them.
01:37On the performance side,
01:38it's also strong in that department.
01:40In a supporting turn,
01:42Dennis Quaid is an enjoyable presence
01:44as a slimy TV exec
01:45who brings a heightened sense of derangement,
01:47but it's Demi Moore and Margaret Cayley
01:49who are the performers who nail this film.
01:52Their performances complement each other more,
01:54managing to strike a fine balance
01:56between playing straight and going for broke,
01:58and Quaidy doing the more show-off-y parts,
02:01capturing a useful essence,
02:02but having an air of creepiness to it.
02:04The Substance is one of my favourite films of the year,
02:06and you should definitely check it out.
02:08It's wild and over the top,
02:10but still a great examination
02:11on the themes of fame and self-image.
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