The Substance

Screened at Regal Cinemas 9, Palm Springs, California.

The marketing for The Substance, the second feature film from French director Coralie Fargeat, following her 2017 debut Revenge, has been quite impressive, because even if you've seen the amazingly-edited trailer (see below), which somehow gets everyone to stop dead in their tracks to watch, I think the average viewer is generally not going to predict its overall trajectory. Some reviews may give away clues, especially with how it's being compared to other horror films that were a clear inspiration, but still I think for most there will be surprising and relatively shocking moments for even the biggest supporters of the genre.

The crowd I saw this with was without question the "Demi Moore fan club circa St. Elmo's Fire and Ghost" crowd, ready to welcome her back with what's been called, and I would agree 100%, a performance worthee of at least an Oscar nomination. Even though The Substance is mostly the polar opposite of what most have come to know her for, the older crowd at my screening sat through it all, didn't leave at moments they clearly found shocking, and instead found a way to reach the film's black humor as evidenced by their enthusiastic laughter. It was strangely a relief in a sense because this film is purposefully over-the-top, and to take it too seriously, despite the themes, would be a shame. But what you may have heard is correct: Demi Moore's performance is both brave and vulnerable, and downright fantastic. Thinking of what she has been going through with her ex-husband's recent dementia struggles, it made this performance feel very raw, and by the end, as much as I enjoyed the film, I also found it deeply saddening. That's the mark of an effective film, so much so that I feel I'm unlikely to see it again, or at least in the short-term.

OBSERVATIONS

- Was this really a graphic body horror? I'm such a non-fan of that genre style that I almost didn't give this a chance, and still I'm hearing how incredibly gory and graphic it is. Cronenberg-style body horror is an inspiration here undoubtedly (along with others I won't mention so as to avoid spoilers), and yet I got through this just fine. Maybe body horror was never as bad as I thought, or I just built up a defense to get through this, but I really didn't find it hard to sit through at all.

- It's fascinating how unforgiving and relentless this film is, especially when you factor in how dull much of popular cinema is these days via non-stop reboots, remakes, sequels, and endless comic book movies which are killing the art of film, in my view. The best original ideas, experimentation and risk-taking are currently found in horror, and frankly that needs to inspire other film genres to start taking major risks again soon, be it comedy or drama. Horror paves the way decade after decade, with little recognition, and it's time for others to step up in this crucial time where cinema is trying to find a way to survive long-term.

- While certainly a lovely young lady, whom I recently found out is the daughter of actor Andie McDowell, it feels like Margaret Qualley's ass was in the film more than she was. Obviously the allure of youth and beauty are at the center thematically, and perhaps it is the very point of focusing more on her anatomy than her personality, but it still felt over the top for me. 

- On the flip side of that is Dennis Quaid. The black humor of his character was fittingly sickening, and everything was done to bring that across, right down to the fantastic, overall sound design which immerses you in his seafood-eating scenes, for example. His slimy Hollywood executive type character, and a fair amount of the film overall, reminded me a lot of the sort of hyperreal vibes predominant in Richard Kelly's Donnie Darko follow-up, 2006's Southland Tales. Even The Fifth Element came to mind at times in that regard.

- Stylistically fantastic with stellar cinematography that is right up my alley. Even more impressive, this LA-set film was shot entirely in France. Not once did I doubt it was filmed where it takes place, only to be wrong. Cronenberg with dashes everywhere from David Lynch to Death Becomes Her. It is indeed a potpourri.

- Let there be no doubt that although this film isn't scary in the typical sense, this is very much a horror film. So, for the squeamish: be prepared. Fashion and beauty may be part of the themes here, but there is no shying away from the ugliness in the equation.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall I'd say I admire The Substance more than I enjoyed it. One criticism would be the editing, in that it was much too long when factoring in a level of repetition that didn't aid the film all that well. A little snip here and there would've done wonders. Still, for its running time of 2 hours 20 mins, it definitely flies by if you're enjoying the ride, but if you're not, it may be a hard watch for some. The ending also felt a bit tacked on, like a rushed excuse for a Peter Jackson, Dead Alive-style bloodbath that felt out of place in its execution.

The Substance is highly entertaining, and I would definitely recommend it, to most really, but again I would heavily stress the need to be prepared, not just for the gore, but also the running time if this ends up not being your cup of tea. When all is said and done, it's refreshing in the context of today's Hollywood, and mostly-original material that is a rewarding experience to see in the theater.