The Substance ( 2024 / Body Horror / Mubi )
Director – Coralie Fargeat
Cast – Demi Moore , Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid
I wasn’t prepared for this shocking, loud ,brazen and controversial piece of cinema because I generally avoid reading detailed reviews about a film prior to watching ( if it needs avoiding spoilers). All I knew was that it’s an audacious film with a strong message against unhealthy parameters of beauty and that Demi Moore has given a superb performance.
The film opens around Elizabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) , who is an aging ( but gorgeous ) television star. When she is unceremoniously thrown out of a show for want of a fresh younger replacement, she gets tempted by a mysterious drug called “ The substance” that promises her a “younger , more perfect “ version of herself. The kit arrives with detailed instructions and a very strict “Do’s and Don’ts” list. The newer version arrives in the form of beautiful and young Sue ( Margaret Qualley) who takes the television world by a storm.But the storm wrecks up Elizabeth’s life in a way neither expected by her nor the audience.
The story starts with a brisk pace. The intrigue factor ,novelty of the theme, stylised looks of the film has us rolling through Act One. The first round of shock hits us when the drug takes its effect . Little did I know that the process of metamorphosis was just the beginning of it. But then Sue’s life is on a high and every thing looks bright and great. As Act two progresses, tension creeps in. Sue breaks the rules and consequences begin to show up.Gradually the narrative gets taut and I found myself tightly wound up. It’s the Third Act that completely blows our mind .
Coaralie Fargeat has a no holds-barred approach in her film and clearly intends to provoke.
Demi Moore is absolutely fantastic. The complexity of emotions she effortlessly protrays without dialogues is mind blowing . The fearlessness with which she bares herself is incredible. I think with this aspect alone, she makes a striking ant-ageist statement. I totally agree with the unfairness of her not winning the oscar even though the film did, in many other departments.
The rest of the review might contain some SPOILERS.
As the film progresses, there is a certain progression in terms of feelings we go through. It begins with intrigue, then shock , then tension , then discomfort, then extreme discomfort , then disgust and then ultimately you feel numb, especially when everything blows up. Fargeat smartly builds up our tolerance and then challenges it with an increasing level of grotesqueness till it becomes bizarre.
There’s an insane level of nudity involved and it certainly isn’t meant to titillate. The first few scenes seem to jolt you . But gradually the shock gives way to plethora of feelings till eventually, it doesn’t matter at all. The men and their gaze has purposefully been shown puke-ish and ostentatious.
As far as the central message is concerned, I feel it does drill in. The desire to look young and beautiful, stay desirable, the madness around it, the psychological toll of it, the jealousy, the unfairness of it all , the ugliness behind the ogling gaze, the dangers of meddling with the bodies, the blindness of the race , the futility of it all . The message is relevant and the method is irreverent .
What Fargeat wants us to understand is discernible through how she makes us feel. The body ,the beauty and the nudity completely changes its perspective by the time the film ends . Can’t really seem to make up my mind about the grisly ,gonzo style end-sequence and the climax scene.
The treatment of the film is also controversial .Many critics have felt that the gaze on the body and beauty was too highlighted. And the unsightliness imparted to an old body was contradictory to the central message of anti-ageism.
Body horror, defined as “ something involving body mutations, disfigurement & transformations” is not my preferred genre. I can’t juxtapose it against any other film. But I do understand that the current obsession with beauty and the extent of medical interventions being currently used, could elicit something this strong in a film maker.
The film is not only provocative but also unapologetic about its maximalist approach and its intention to strike . It doesn’t shy away from the fact that it wants to slam the message rather than convey it. Rest is for you to decide if you watch the film. Haven’t come across any review by an Indian critic.I am curious to know how others perceive this transgressive piece of cinema.
BHAVNA TALKIES 