Back in the 80s and 90s the most twisted little freak directors were probably folks like De Palma, Cronenberg, and Verhoeven. These guys came out with truly challenging films that centered around how strange human bodies are, and the way men view women at large. They are all some of my favorite film makers. But now we have folks like Jane Schoenbraun, Julia Ducournau, and director of ‘The Substance’ Coralie Fargeat that are using many of the same film making techniques learned from the masters of old and making films by women about women. They are at least just as, if not more, disturbing than the ones we got to see a few decades ago. And I for one could not be happier.

I didn’t really know what to expect from ‘The Substance’, I knew the basic premise. Demi Moore portrays a star, a woman who is essentially ousted by the showbiz industry due to being older than 35 and turns to an experimental drug to create a copy of herself (Margaret Qualley) that’s younger, hotter, more perfect. That premise alone will not prepare you for the cracking of bones, the splitting of skin. The things we do to bodies to preserve them from aging.

The movie is not subtle. That is a feature, not a bug. The way the camera focuses on Qualley’s body is the voyeuristic perversion we would expect from De Palma. And it creates a sense of unease. She is undeniably “Sexy” in a packageable marketable way. And Hollywood big-shot executive Harvey (Dennis Quaid) is quick to take advantage of her. As nasty as this movie is, I think the lecherous, greasy, slimy performance put on by Quaid is one of the grossest things in it. It’s a highlight for Quaid, who too long has phoned it in. Fargeat lets him lean all the way into the worst version of this character he can come up with and it is haunting.

The deal of The Substance is that Demi and Margaret (named Elisabeth and Sue) have to switch every seven days. It makes sense then that when it comes time Sue does not want to go back. The more haunting section comes when Elisabeth has to wait her seven days. Having been bolstered by her time as Sue she does not feel like she has the conviction to even leave her apartment. She’s no longer the young hot person she was just a day ago. She thinks herself hideous. The scenes of Elisabeth sitting in front of her TV, waiting for Sue’s turn, terrified to leave the house are some of the most frightening and depressing I’ve ever seen.

Qualley gets her time to shine as well. In a moment towards the end she gets to meet The Board. Harvey and a group of aging white men that guffaw over their new prize. The one that can sell tickets to their New Year’s Eve show and that they can ogle to their hearts content. It’s both a funny and terrifying moment. Either you are a profitable toy for executives, or you’re thrown away. It’s hard to say who had it worse in the end.

At two hours and twenty minutes I wouldn’t say this film is long. But it’s long for a schlocky body horror feature, and at about the one hour and forty five minute mark I started thinking “I think I know how this ends? This has gotta be wrapping up soon?” Believe me when I say I did not. The end of this film is one of the strangest swings I could possibly imagine. It’s an unbelievable thrill ride, held aloft by a stellar performance from Demi Moore. Run. Do not walk to see ‘The Substance‘.

5/5