Brought to you by JOE and MUBI.
It’s not often a horror movie picks up an award at Cannes and generates Oscar buzz so when one like The Substance does, you should sit up and take notice.
Written and directed by visionary filmmaker Coralie Fargeat – whose brilliant debut Revenge we only recommended weeks ago – The Substance sees Hollywood legend Demi Moore (Ghost, Striptease) play Elizabeth Sparkle.
The star of a popular aerobics show, Elizabeth is fired by her boss (Dennis Quaid – The Day After Tomorrow, The Parent Trap) on her 50th birthday on account of her age.
Feeling humiliated and with her morale at its lowest, the TV host out of the blue receives an invite to try a black market drug, one which could solve all of her problems.
After injecting the mysterious drug, dubbed ‘The Substance’, it temporarily creates a “younger, better version” of Elizabeth (played by rising star Margaret Qualley – Poor Things, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood).
While at first the substance works a charm, its usage comes with several rules – which if broken can cause devastating side-effects.
Upon its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, the movie was met with rapturous, rave reviews.
In particular, critics praised the film for its masterful blend of laugh-out-loud Hollywood satire with immaculately staged, visceral and unforgettable body horror – a mix that has led to The Substance being dubbed “Death Becomes Her meets Carrie”.
Winning the Best Screenplay award at the French movie event, JOE having seen the film can confirm that its dark careful-what-you-wish-for story and eye-popping practical effects make it a must-watch for seasoned horror fans.
That being said, The Substance’s humour, its bold style and its fearless lead turn by Moore help to ensure that the movie is also enjoyable and accessible even for those less keen on the horror genre.
Its worth noting too that Moore’s performance is being hailed as her greatest yet, one that she is already garnering Oscar buzz for.
One of the must-see films of 2024, you can read a sample of some of the rave reviews for The Substance right here:
Deadline: “The perfect breakout genre movie of the year.”
IndieWire: “Fargeat’s movie escalates with the kind of ultra-confident audacity that leaves you laughing out loud at sights that would otherwise make you shriek instead.”
Total Film: “This is a smart, savage look at ageing, beauty, and the male gaze. Quaid and Qualley are excellent, but Moore delivers arguably a career-best performance.”
Variety: “[Coralie Fargeat] draws on much of the hyperbolic flamboyance that’s come to define megaplex horror. But unlike 90 percent of those movies, The Substance is the work of a filmmaker with a vision. She’s got something primal to say to us.”
The Substance is released in cinemas nationwide from September 20. Find out more at trythesubstance.com.
